Honor, Abjection, and the Politics of Gendered Violence

The protection of male honor through gendered violence is generally considered relevant only to Eastern cultures where patriarchal relations are more visible. This article draws on Bourdieu's writings to explore how concealed forms of male-coded honor and female abjection similarly shape gendered violence in contemporary neoliberal Western contexts. The article also examines the role of female-coded honor in women's responses to violence, demonstrating how it can frame women's actions in contexts of violence and abuse. New approaches to primary and secondary prevention that engage with the honor-bound nature of violence against women are considered.