Contesting and reinforcing patriarchy: an analysis of domestic violence in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp

The following paper is an examination of domestic violence in the Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi, with the intent to show that refugee domestic violence deserves to be studied more thoroughly and with a broad lens. It discusses three approaches used to explain domestic violence in Western and African contexts: individual reasons, culture, and structural violence. Moreover, this paper shows that the community may play a role either in resolving domestic violence by facilitating justice and healing, or legitimating it. Camp personnel, such as police, health care practitioners, administration and social services are members of this community. Lastly, Western development and humanitarian agencies, as well as international institutions, have claimed places in the discussion of refugee domestic affairs and their interests are played out in culture and through discourse.