The Intersections of Normative Heterosexuality and Sexual Violence: University Men’s Talk about Sexual Behavior in Intimate Relationships

Abstract

Research on men’s sexual violence against women has focused on individual- and peer-level contributors of sexual violence, with comparatively less focus on broader social contributors. Using four focus groups with a total of 29 Canadian heterosexual university men and a form of discourse analysis, we moved beyond this common focus. In particular, we examined how participants talked about sexual behaviors in intimate relationships and the dominant social norms or discourses about heterosexuality that they used. Participants’ conversations constructed a dominant version of heterosexuality that is male-centered and may support sexual violence. Specifically, they suggested that men have a higher and uncontrollable sex drive; that heterosexual initiation and progression occur naturally and without (men’s) verbal communication; and that men misinterpret women’s ineffective communication and this miscommunication causes sexual violence. They positioned these heterosexuality practices and dynamics as biologically determined and as generally the same across occasions and people. Some men did challenge male-centered and sexual violence-supportive discourses with varying degrees of success at shifting the conversation. Our results have important implications and highlight the need to encourage men’s critical engagement with alternative discourses about heterosexuality that do not support sexual violence and that privilege both women’s and men’s sexuality.