Violence Against Women: An Integrated, Ecological Framework
Abstract
This article encourages the widespread adoption of an integrated, ecological framework for understanding the origins of gender-based violence. An ecological approach to abuse conceptualizes violence as a multifaceted phenomenon grounded in an interplay among personal, situational, and sociocultural factors. Although drawing on the conceptual advances of earlier theorists, this article goes beyond their work in three significant ways. First, it uses the ecological framework as a heuristic tool to organize the existing research base into an intelligible whole. Whereas other theorists present the framework as a way to think about violence, few have attempted to establish what factors emerge as predictive of abuse at each level of the social ecology. Second, this article integrates results from international and cross-cultural research together with findings from North American social science. And finally, the framework draws from findings related to all types of physical and sexual abuse of women to encourage a more integrated approach to theory building regarding gender-based abuse.
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Risk factors for intimate partner violence within the micro-system include a patriarchal family structure where the man controls finances and decision-making, recurring marital conflict, and alcohol dependence or abuse.
“Risk factors for intimate partner violence within the micro-system (relationships and family) include a patriarchal family structure, where the man controls finances and decision-making; recurring marital conflict; and alcohol dependence or abuse (Heise, 1998).”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Heise, 1998
Heise's model conceptualizes sexual and gender-based violence as a multi-faceted phenomenon grounded in an interplay of personal, situational, and socio-cultural factors.
“Heise's model conceptualizes sexual and gender-based violence as”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Heise, 1998
Patriarchal sociocultural norms, masculinity defined as machismo, traditional and rigid gender roles, and normalization of violence as a way to resolve conflicts were important macro-system risk factors.
“Finally, patriarchal sociocultural norms, including masculinity defined as machismo and traditional and rigid gender roles, as well as the normalization of violence as an acceptable way to resolve conflicts, were important risk factors within the macro-system (societal level).”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Heise, 1998
The exo-system is an individual's larger community, including physical and socioeconomic conditions, availability and quality of services, identity groups, and job opportunities.
“The exo-system is an individual's larger community, which can include the physical and socioeconomic conditions of their neighborhood, the availability and quality of services, identity groups, and job opportunities (Heise, 1998).”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Heise, 1998
At the exo-system level, Heise identified social isolation of the woman or family, low socioeconomic status, acceptance of violence or harassment within the community, and delinquent peer associations as important determinants of intimate partner and sexual violence.
“At the exo-system level (broader community), Heise identified social isolation of the woman or family, low socioeconomic status, acceptance of violence or harassment within the community, and delinquent peer associations as important determinants of intimate partner and sexual violence.”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Heise, 1998
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References 74 · Cited by 2,042
- Authors
- HEISE, L. L.
- Affiliations
- Center for Health and Gender Equity (US)
- Corresponding author
- HEISE, LORI L.
- ORCID
- HEISE, LORI L.
- Venue
- Violence Against Women
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1998-06
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 262-290
- ISSN
- 1077-8012 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-8448
- OpenAlex
- W4213331234
- Cited by
- 2,042
- References
- 74
- Citations by year
- 2026: 208 · 2025: 156 · 2024: 168 · 2023: 151 · 2022: 166 · 2021: 160 · 2020: 183 · 2019: 115 · 2018: 102 · 2017: 78 · 2016: 90 · 2015: 65 · 2014: 57 · 2013: 43 · 2012: 46
- FWCI
- 7.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Violence Against Women (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
- Keywords
- gender-based violence, ecological model, social ecology, intimate partner violence, sexual abuse, physical abuse, cross-cultural research, theory development
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