Inte bara invandrare?
Diskursiva villkor för våldsutsatta tjejer i etniska minoritetsgrupper
AccountabilityVictimhoodSwedenPublic authoritiesEthnicityViolenceSex/genderDiscourse analysisHegemonyAntagonismSubjectivityObjectivity
A mapping process is ongoing in Sweden concerning a phenomenon known as ?honour related violence?. The explanations of ?honour related violence? often focus on culture and ethnicity, thus establishing differences between the majority society and offenders and victims. Given that some scholars critique mapping for focusing on predetermined objects, my aim is to study discursive conditions for abused girls, who are constructed as being from within ethnic minorities, in relation to their contact with the Swedish welfare system. The data consists of documents from the Swedish police authority and social services; as well as interviews with abused girls who have been in contact with the Swedish welfare system. I found that public authorities distance themselves from accusations of racism and partiality by using an individualistic repertoire where not only and not all ?immigrants? are said to be involved in the problem. Despite this, causes of the problem are only discussed in terms of culture-clashes and lack of integration. Subjectivity is attributed to both offender and victim and the victim is constructed as someone without ability to speak for herself. The girls talk of victimhood as lack of agency but they also give accounts of themselves through emphasis on their subjective experiences. Thereby they question the public authorities? ability to understand their situation. Through subjectivity it is possible for the girls to both talk as victims and claim a voice of their own.