In much feminist literature, patriarchy has often been studied as a predictive variable for attitudes toward or acts of violence against women. However, rarely has patriarchy been examined as an outcome across studies. The current study works toward filling this gap by examining several individual-and neighborhood-level factors that might influence patriarchy. Specifically, this research seeks to determine if neighborhood-level attributes related to socioeconomic status, family composition, and demographic information affect patriarchal views after individual-level correlates of patriarchy were controlled. Findings suggest that factors at both the individual- and neighborhood levels, particularly familial characteristics and dynamics, do influence the endorsement of patriarchal views.

In much feminist literature, patriarchy has often been studied as a predictive variable for attitudes toward or acts of violence against women. However, rarely has patriarchy been examined as an outcome across studies. The current study works toward filling this gap by examining several individual-and neighborhood-level factors that might influence patriarchy. Specifically, this research seeks to determine if neighborhood-level attributes related to socioeconomic status, family composition, and demographic information affect patriarchal views after individual-level correlates of patriarchy were controlled. Findings suggest that factors at both the individual- and neighborhood levels, particularly familial characteristics and dynamics, do influence the endorsement of patriarchal views.

When women are lured away from home, they become vulnerable and cannot survive the violence inflicted upon them by their ‘lovers.’ This thesis explores the ties between two distinct cultural regions, Arabic and Appalachian, to examine the violence against women and what allows these women to escape such situations by using Hanan al-Shaykh’s One Thousand and One Nights: A Retelling and three traditional Appalachian murdered girl ballads. Many of the women in these stories die at the hands of their ‘lovers,’ regardless of their culture of origin. Once removed from their fellow women, they lack a support system that would allow them the strength to survive. While most of the women in these tales die at the hands of their ‘lovers,’ Shahrazad of One Thousand and One Nights: A Retelling survives because she is able to take back some control of the situation by telling her own story, instead of allowing it to be told for her. She survives the bleak situation she has been put in through the support of her sister, who makes it possible for Shahrazad to continue telling her stories. The support Shahrazad receives from her sister allows her to not only save herself, but also to save the lives of other women. This thesis concludes that it is this “sister” support that enables women to survive the violence consistently thrown at them and allows them to take back control of their own narratives.

Background: Children who grow up in families where violence prevails at home is in a traumatic situation and is at increased risk of developing mental health issues. Some of the exposed families come to sheltered housing. There special education and social workers work to support, protect and help them in the emergency crisis they are. The work is based on theories, research and approved experience. The background to the study is that I want to deepen myself in the process that has led to today's working method and I think that it is valuable insight to provide the interdisciplinary subject between pedagogy and social work. Parental capacity is affected when there is violence, that we know from research, but is it understood from the perspective of social workers and from the special education perspective?Aim and study questions: The aim is to make visible the multifaceted assignments of special education as part of the work on children who are exposed to domestic violence. The detailed questions are: • How does the process of special education work look like in sheltered housing? • What expectations do the social workers have on special education in sheltered housing? • How is parental capacity affected when there is domestic violence based on the social work perspective and from the special educational perspective?Theory: Theories used in the study are the special education perspective, a sociological theory of Bourdieu's concepts, habitus, capital and fields as explanation model and Vygotsky's pedagogical theory.Method: Three social workers who work in sheltered housing have been interviewed. All interviews have been recorded, transcribed and later analyzed. The interviews were semi-structured and were based on keywords. Even diary notes have been included in the empirical material. The methodology is based on a narrative approach. The result and analysis are categorized based on the themes presented in the stories.Presentation of empirical evidence: The empirical material shows that child perspective, thoughts about what is normal, routines, everyday structure, group dynamics and activities in the shelter are key parts. And how the work will focus on salutogenic, development, the future, opportunities for play and the environment. Finally, the results that deal with parental ability, emotions and the tools that professionals can afford to force those in needs to strengthen them in the future.Implications: Because of the study, I think there is a need to work interdisciplinary between social work and the special education. Together, these two professions can create favorable conditions for those families who are subjected to domestic violence when they come to sheltered housing. Based on the laws and governing documents available, it is obvious that there are requirements for how children´s right should be safeguarded.Conclusion: The conclusion is that improved efforts for children and parents in sheltered housing is an important part of reducing long-term domestic violence. Children are the adults of the future and if we can prevent violence at home, there may be opportunities to prevent domestic violence to continue for generations.

Domestic violence against women (DVAW) is a global pandemic that affects approximately one in three women living in the United Kingdom. One of the biggest challenges in combating and preventing DVAW is the underreporting of incidences to law-enforcement by victims and the collective silence of bystanders who are aware of the abuse but choose to remain silent (i.e. social silence). This degree project compares evidence regarding social silence and underreporting of DVAW and how DVAW is represented in British awareness campaigns to answer the research question: What gaps exist between evidence available in respect of contributing factors to social silence and underreporting of DVAW and how key players in the space of DVAW prevention in the United Kingdom (UK) represent DVAW in public awareness campaigns aimed at addressing these issues? A literature review served to establish state of the art evidence and was followed by a Foucauldian discourse analysis of selected visual media texts from awareness raising campaigns published by British key players (i.e. NGOs and government agencies) in the area of DVAW. The analysis was conducted in three stages: 1) relevant discourse fragments were identified according to strict sampling criteria, 2) texts were analysed with a step-by-step approach, in order to identify key themes and a typical sub-sample of discourse fragments, and 3) an in-depth analysis of two typical campaign texts was conducted. The analysis revealed that a range of misalignments and gaps exist. DVAW is represented in isolation as an issue of individuals rather than society. Some of the most problematic attitudes contributing to social silence and underreporting of DVAW such as victim blaming remain largely unaddressed. Victims of DVAW are represented in isolation and the responsibility to act and stop the abuse is often placed on the them. Perpetrators of DVAW in particular, but also men in general, are largely excluded from the discourse. Instead of encouraging victims and building their confidence, a bleak picture of isolation and fear is painted in campaign texts. Some of the discourse fragments included in the analysis appear to perpetuate the very misconceptions and stereotypes they are trying to address. There is ample opportunity for British key players in the space of DVAW to take a leading role in challenging the current discourse and assume their role of influencer in the fight to break social silence and increase the reporting of DVAW.

Gewalt gegen Frauen und Mädchen, insbesondere häusliche Gewalt, wird von internationalen Organisationen sowohl als Menschenrechtsverletzung deklariert als auch als eines der größten Gesundheitsrisiken für Frauen und Kinder eingeschätzt. Studien zur Häufigkeit und Ausprägung häuslicher Gewalt waren lange Zeit nicht oder nur vereinzelt verfügbar und auch im Gesundheitswesen blieb die Gewaltproblematik als Ursache von Gesundheitsstörungen bis in die 1990er-Jahre hinein weitgehend unberücksichtigt. In den vorliegenden Beiträgen der kumulativen Dissertation wird der zentralen Fragestellung nachgegangen, welche wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und welche Methoden der Sensibilisierung und Fortbildung dazu beitragen können, dass Professionelle im Gesundheitswesen auf diesem Grenzgebiet ihrer fachlichen Zuständigkeit, welches zugleich eine Schnittstelle mit der Sozialen Arbeit bildet, angemessen und kompetent im Sinne der Betroffenen handeln. Des Weiteren werden Potentiale und Grenzen der Kooperation zwischen dem Gesundheitssektor und nicht medizinischen Institutionen in der Intervention und Prävention bei häuslicher und sexualisierter Gewalt beleuchtet und ein in einem EU-Projekt entwickeltes multi-professionelles Fortbildungskonzept vorgestellt.

Bakgrund: Kvinnor som utsatts för våld i nära relationer är ett globalt folkhälsoproblem och strider mot de mänskliga rättigheterna. Konsekvenserna av våldet innebär ett liv i rädsla, skam och lidande. Detta leder ofta till att kvinnorna söker vård först vid akut skada. Vanligare är dock att söka vård för indirekta skador och följdsjukdomar vilket ofta leder till att vårdgivare missar att identifiera våldet. Syfte: Att beskriva kvinnor som utsatts för våld i nära relationer och deras upplevelse av mötet med vårdpersonal. Metod: Litteraturstudie baserad på 14 kvalitativa artiklar vilka granskades och fyra teman identifierades: Bemötande, Att bli sedd och hörd, Tillit och Skam. Resultat: Kvinnor som utsatts för relationsvåld upplevde vårdpersonal som stressad och oförstående. Vidare var avskild kommunikation en viktig del i mötet och kvinnorna önskade få frågan om våld i hemmet ställd. Mötet med vårdpersonal kunde även bidra till att förstärka upplevelsen av skam och skuld. Slutsats: Vårdpersonal bör uppmärksamma bemötandet av kvinnor och se bakom yttre symtom för att kunna identifiera relationsvåld. Frågan om våld måste ställas regelbundet och på ett respektfullt sätt. Det är nödvändigt att samtal sker avskilt från kvinnans man och omgivning. Information bör finnas tillgänglig i miljö där patienter vistas. Klinisk betydelse: Resultatet i denna studie visar att vårdpersonal med små medel kan förbättra mötet med kvinnor som utsatts för våld i nära relation. Ytterligare kunskap är nödvändig och specialiserad vårdpersonal bör finnas för att kunna tillgodose denna patientgrupps specifika omvårdnadsbehov. Nationella riktlinjer borde framarbetas och vårdprogram följas. / Background: Women subjected to intimate partner violence is both a global health issue and a violation of basic human rights. The result of the violence is a life of fear, shame, and suffering. Consequently, these women do not seek healthcare until acute injuries occur. More common is to seek care for indirect injuries or associated illnesses, which frequently leads to a misdiagnosis of the violence. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe how women who have been subjected to domestic violence experience the interactions with their caregivers. Method: A literature review based on fourteen qualitative articles that have been closely studied and four main themes were identified: Interaction, To be seen and heard, Trust and Shame. Result: Women who have been subjected to domestic violence experienced care givers as stressed and lacking in understanding. Private conversation was an important part of the interaction and the women wished to be asked about domestic violence. However, the interaction with care givers could potentially enhance the feeling of shame and guilt. Conclusion: Care givers need to be perceptive in their interactions with the women in order to see beyond superficial symptoms and identify domestic violence. Questions about violence should be asked respectfully and on a regular basis. It is also essential that these questions are asked separately, not in the presence of the spouse or in public. Information should be available in patient environment. Clinical implication: The result of this study shows that care givers can improve their interaction with women subjected to domestic violence by small means. Further knowledge is necessary and specialized staff are required to provide for this group's specific care needs. National guidelines should be created and care programs should be followed.

An increased understanding of resilience may determine how human psychological development can result in positive outcomes despite adversarial situations. However, current studies have not provided a relevant predictive model that can adequately predict resilience, particularly among young adults exposed to domestic violence. Based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the purpose of this quantitative noncomparative study was to examine whether domestic violence, age, gender, ethnicity, individual emotional and physical abilities, types of domestic violence exposure, and frequency of domestic violence exposure could adequately predict resilience among young adults. Quantitative data were collected from 118 young adults in the Midsouth region of the United States. The data were collected via a questionnaire and analyzed using a stepwise multiple linear regression. The results of the analysis were significant, indicating that the frequency of domestic violence exposure was a significant negative predictor of resiliency. These results suggested a need for further examination of environmental protective factors, according to Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, that may affect resilience development. By discovering factors that predict resilience, whether positive or negative, stakeholders can target interventions and develop policies that can eradicate the harmful social and psychological influences of domestic violence on children.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health concern that affects victims, families, and the communities. Master's level counselors, who work in mental health settings, are in key positions to provide identification and intervention services to female victims of IPV with mental health issues. This study explored the lived experiences of master's level counselors who worked with female victims of IPV to gather a deeper meaning into the values, attitudes, and beliefs that master's level counselors hold in working with female victims of IPV. This study was conducted as a hermeneutic phenomenological study through a feminist poststructuralist lens to guide the research. The 5 participants in the study obtained a master's degree from a CACREP accredited counseling program and have worked with female victims of IPV. Semistructured interview questions were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using first and second cycle coding. NVivo 12 software was used to organize the data. Key findings indicated that participants valued their work with victims of IPV but believed that there were not enough resources available to properly assist clients. Participants also acknowledged that they did not receive training in their master's programs to equip them to successfully work with victims of IPV. The results of this research study may inform counselor education programs by increasing awareness of needed improvements in training and education of master's level counselors may improve overall treatment provided to this population. Improved treatment may decrease the number of health concerns, in turn decreasing the number of emergency room visits and improving the overall family dynamic.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a national and global health problem. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization suggest that 1 in 3 women will become a victim of violence by an intimate partner in her lifetime. Memory and learning have been shown to be affected in in-vivo animal studies under acute and chronic stress conditions. Using Bertalanffy's general systems theory, this study examined the impact of IPV on short-term memory in adult female survivors by comparing their performance to a control group (adult females with no IPV in the past 5 years) on measures of verbal and nonverbal memory, learning, and working memory. Participants also completed measures of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and were asked about their history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Participants included community members and treatment seeking adult females from a Nevada city. A total of 23 women participated in this study (M = 30 years), of which, 7 were included in the control group (no history of IPV in the past 5 years) and 16 were included in the IPV group (history of IPV within the past 5 years). Using multivariate analysis of variance with depression, PTSD, and mTBI as covariates, no statistically significant differences were found between these 2 groups on all measures. Future studies with high power may yield significant results on measures of learning and should be an area of focus. IPV participants with PTSD tended to perform worse on tests of learning compared to the control group (d = .33; p = .16). Future research in this area is recommended to help improve treatment outcomes for survivors, reduce the stigma associated with IPV, and improve domestic violence laws.