Syftet med denna uppsats är att skapa en djupare förståelse för kvinnors upplevelse om vad som har motiverat dem att ta sig ur en misshandelsrelation och hur interaktion och makt påverkat denna motivation. Uppsatsens frågeställningar undersöker just detta och hur maktförhållandet i relationen och interaktion med gärningsman, familj och vänner påverkat denna motivation. Uppsatsen tillämpar en kvalitetiv metod och data samlades in med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Uppsatsen har antagit en fenomenologisk ansats som ett led i att fånga kvinnornas upplevelse av sin egen historia. Resultatet visar att kvinnan drivs av en inre motivation när hon lämnar relationen, släkt och nära vänner kan inte ta beslutet åt henne. Mannens interation, i form av ett frekvent maktspel, gör att kvinnan hämmas att lämna relationen då hon bryts ned från att ha varit en stark person. / The purpose of this report is to create a deeper understanding for what motivates women who decide to walk away from a relationship that includes assault against her and how interaction and how balance of power affects this. This report has been looking into this and how the balance of power in the relationship and interaction with the offender, family and friends affected this motivation. The report takes on a qualitative approach and data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The report adopts a phenomenological approach to capture the womens experience of their own history. The result shows that the woman feels an internal motivation before she leaves the relationship. Relatives and close friends can not make the decision for her. The mans interaction, in the form of frequent game of power, maker the woman inhibited to leave the relationship since this breaks her down even though she used to be a strong person.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) includes physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse. The impact of IPV has become increasingly accepted as a significant public health problem worldwide. This manuscript thesis has two chapters which attempts to address the current gaps in IPV research in India. The first chapter compares people’s attitudes about IPV based on their gender, age, income and exposure to IPV. In order to better understand and compare men and women’s attitudes about IPV, 204 self-administered surveys were collected from the in- and out-patient clinics of the Sancheti Institute for Othopedics and Rehabilitation (SIOR), a hospital in Pune, India. The results of these surveys showed that men and older generations were more likely to agree that wife-slapping was a justified response to least one of the presented scenarios, and to support normatively prescribed rights of Indian husbands to have excessive power in a marriage. Income level and experience being a victim of IPV were not associated with attitudes towards IPV or husbands’ rights. The second chapter explores the use of the Woman’s Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) in a sample of 62 males. Results from the WAST indicated a 16% IPV prevalence rate. These two papers shed light on different aspects of IPV. Results from the first paper suggest that men and older generations should be targeted for educational initiatives aimed at reducing IPV. The second paper provides a much-needed estimation of IPV prevalence among Indian males. Together, these findings help close existing gaps in the literature regarding IPV in India. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

There are well-established links between early exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and negative developmental outcomes for young children. Emerging evidence suggests that early care and education (ECE), an existing and widely used resource within children’s communities, may be a promising means to support and address the needs of young children experiencing adversity. However, little is known about ECE or ECE policies in the IPV context. This three-paper dissertation employs a triangulation mixed methods design to address these gaps in our current knowledge. Chapter 2 investigates the influences of ECE on the behavioral outcomes of children exposed to IPV. Four waves of national, longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Well Being Survey (N=3,108) were used to examine the moderating roles of informal, formal home-based, and center-based child care on respective associations between children’s IPV exposure and internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems (IBP, EBP). Results from ordinary least squares regression models with interaction terms and subgroup analyses using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) suggest that non-parental child care, particularly center-based care, can attenuate the negative influences of some forms of IPV exposure on young children’s behavioral outcomes. Chapter 3 draws on primary data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 17 IPV survivor mothers of young children aged 0–5 to understand their ECE and child care subsidy decisions and arrangements. A data-driven thematic analysis revealed pervasive influences of IPV on mothers’ ECE access and utilization. Despite IPV perpetrators’ interference with and restraint of ECE, mothers sought child care arrangements they believed would enhance children’s well-being, particularly with respect to children’s IPV-related needs and safety. Social and structural factors (e.g., social isolation and ECE affordability and availability) also importantly influenced mothers’ ECE arrangements, and child care subsidies were a critical resource for some. Chapter 4 explores the mechanisms by which ECE can promote children’s resilience during and following IPV exposure, using data from the same 17 interviews with IPV survivor mothers as well as interviews with 6 ECE professionals with experience working with children exposed to IPV. Results from data-driven thematic analyses indicate that reduced exposure to IPV and associated risks, prevention of abusers’ unsafe contact with children, nurturance, enriching activities, stability, a balance of consistency and flexibility, access to therapeutic services, and support of children’s emotion regulation and social development may serve as key protective mechanisms for children exposed to IPV within ECE environments. / 2026-01-08T00:00:00Z

Bakgrund: Våld i nära relationer är ett globalt hälsoproblem där kvinnor är överrepresenterade som offer. Trots att ett mörkertal existerar har det visat sig att var tredje kvinna i världen har blivit utsatt. Sjuksköterskor kan i arbetet komma i kontakt med dessa kvinnor, därav är det av stor vikt att förutsättningarna är så bra som möjligt för att kunna tillgodose bra och säker vård. Syfte: Att belysa sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att bemöta kvinnor som utsatts för våld i nära relationer. Metod: En litteraturstudie som utgick ifrån tio kvalitativa studier som analyserades enligt Fribergs femstegsmodell. Databassökningarna genomfördes i Cinahl och PubMed. Resultat: Utifrån analysen identifierades tre huvudkategorier samt nio subkategorier. Huvudkategorierna var “Sjuksköterskans känslomässiga reaktioner”, “Sjuksköterskans förhållningssätt i mötet med en våldsutsatt kvinna” och “Organisatoriska utmaningar i mötet med en våldsutsatt kvinna”. Konklusion: Sjuksköterskor upplever olika svårigheter med att tala om våld med en våldsutsatt kvinna. Förutsättningarna för en tryggare och bättre vårdkvalitet kan optimeras med mer utbildning och stöd för sjuksköterskor samt tydligare rutiner och riktlinjer. / Background: Domestic violence is a global health problem where women are overrepresented as victims. Despite the fact that a number of hidden statistics exist, it has been shown that every third woman in the world has been exposed. Nurses’ may come in contact with these women in their work, therefore it is of great importance that the conditions are as good as possible in order to provide good and safe care. Aim: To illuminate nurses’ experiences of encountering with women who have been exposed to domestic violence. Methods: The literature review was based on ten qualitative studies that were analyzed according to Friberg’s five-step model. Database searches were made in Cinahl and PubMed. Results: Based on the analysis, three main categories and nine subcategories were identified. The main categories were “Nurses’ emotional reactions”, “The nurses’ approach in the encounter with an abused woman” and “Organizational challenges in the encounter with an abused woman”. Conclusion: Nurses’ experience various difficulties in talking about violence with a woman exposed to violence. The conditions for a safer and better quality of care can be optimized with more training and support for nurses as well as improved routines and guidelines.

About 14 percent of children and young people witness relational violence of various kinds between close relatives. Violence in intimate relationships affects children's mental and physical health as well as social relationships. When and how their need for help is met is important for their vulnerability and ability to recover. Unlike violence by unknown perpetrators that occurs in the public space, intimate partner violence is most often perpetrated in the home, which should be a protected place, by a person who should be one of the victim's most secure relationships. The purpose of this study was to compile existing research on how witnessing violence in close relationships affects children's health, education and future career life, and to identify health-promoting factors that can contribute to benefiting the health of children exposed to partner-related violence in the home. The results showed that children who witness intimate partner violence (IPV) suffer short- and long-term consequences in the form of physical and mental health problems as well as challenges in their social relationships, academic performance and future career possibiliti

The current study conducted a content analysis of newspaper articles in a Florida newspaper, the Orlando Sentinel. The study spanned across a five-year time period from 2004-2009, featuring 198 articles on domestic violence homicide. The current study is a replication of previous research conducted using the same newspaper during 1995-2000. Victim blame, tone, and descriptions of the perpetrator and victim were among several items of interest. Findings reveal a slight increase in victim blaming statements and a larger increase in positive portrayals of the victims of domestic violence homicide.

Under 2021 har 15 kvinnor i Sverige slagits ihjäl i hemmet av män som de har en avslutad eller pågående parrelation med. Våld i hemmet kan vara fysiskt, exempelvis i form av slag eller knuffar, psykisk i form av hot eller förolämpningar eller sexuellt där offret tvingas göra sexuella handlingar mot sin vilja. Våld i nära relationer kan även innebära att förstöra eller skada något av materiell betydelse eller ekonomiskt isolera och begränsa offret. Våld mot kvinnor förekommer över hela världen och vilken kvinna som helst kan drabbas. Våldet kan ge långvariga fysiska och psykiska konsekvenser och kräver ett fungerande samarbete mellan de olika aktörer och organisationer i samhället som kommer i kontakt med de utsatta kvinnorna. Mörkertalet för förekomsten av våld i nära relation är stort och man tror att upp mot 75 procent inte anmäler våldet de utsätts för. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur tidigare forskning har problematiserat kvinnors situation när de varit utsatta för våld i en nära relation. En kvalitativ litteraturstudie med tillämpad diskursanalys används för att förstå vilka behov och stöd de våldsutsatta kvinnorna behöver. Resultatet visar att risken för att utveckla en psykisk sjukdom exempelvis PTSD, depression eller ångest ökar när man blir utsatt för våld. Konsekvenserna av våldet kan bli långvariga och ofta behöver kvinnorna hjälp av kurator eller psykolog under en lång tid. Många utsatta kvinnor vet inte vart de ska vända sig för att få hjälp och kan känna skam eller en oro för att dömas för att de inte lämnat förhållandet tidigare. Alla typer av våld kan ge allvarliga konsekvenser, även psykiskt våld som är svårt att lägga märke till. Det är tydligt att stödet måste förbättras för att förhindra de långvariga konsekvenserna och för att se till att de utsatta kvinnorna får ett så normalt vardagsliv som möjligt där de känner trygghet. I värsta fall kan våldet leda till att den utsatta kvinnan dödas eller begår självmord. Att tidigt identifiera och behandla de utsatta kvinnorna är således något som behöver prioriteras och forskas mer kring för att förhindra att våldet resulterar i kvinnans död.

Over the last 30 years, the justice system has increased attention toward domestic violence. In many states, the emphasis has emerged to a specialization, separate dockets and specially trained judges (Center for Court Innovation 2009). Domestic violence courts have evolved, however the Ninth Circuit Court in Orange and Osceola County has yet to adopt this concept. At present, the Osceola County Courthouse utilizes the Unified Family Court (UFC), an integrated comprehensive approach which handles all cases simultaneously addressing the families involved in disputes, as well as the adults and the children of domestic violence. The Orange County Courthouse on the other hand, has the court rooms on one designated floor of the Orange County Courthouse which is dedicated to domestic relation’s cases. There are (3) specialized judges for domestic violence cases which rotate every (6) months. This thesis will explore the different challenges that are faced by the judicial system in domestic violence courts in Orange and Osceola County. One of those challenges is that there is no set “model” to develop a consistency in practices and policies; therefore there is no mutual understanding or agreement for the purposed outcome. With the study of case law, statutes, court research, court observation, and goal assessments, this thesis will explore the possibilities of change in this court system. The purpose of this study is to contribute awareness, present recommendations to the legal system, and state that it is not enough -although critical- to focus on the victim’s safety and the offender accountability, but also it is crucial to place an emphasis on specially trained judges and stakeholders in order to create a more unified structure.

This paper’s focus on South Asian and Asian-American women in relation to Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS) originates from a limited amount of research on the self-helping behaviors of these women–especially those who have immigrated from the countries of Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan–as compared to other cultures (Sripada, 2020). The current literature surrounding BWS identifies lesser reporting on South Asian and Asian-American women with ethnic backgrounds from these regions (Kasturirangan, 2004). A journal by Yoshioka (2005) proposes that we consider the “world view” or intersectionality when considering domestic violence and to which many women are restricted as a result of a lack of access to resources. There are also current iterations of instruments being used that drive the discrepancy in cultural values. This literature review aims to identify those gaps in battered woman syndrome literature by analyzing cultural factors to help account for lowered disclosure rates.

My dissertation examines gender representation in both bureaucratic agencies and standing legislative committees focusing on Corrections and Human or Social Services in eleven southern states. By examining individual public officials in both regulatory and redistributive agencies and committees, I am able to determine if active representation of women’s issues is occurring and how this impacts the policy development and implementation of domestic violence programs. Theoretical models used in examining the linkage between passive and active representation often incorporate the values and actions of public officials. The ethic of care is a theoretical approach that argues that gender differences may arise in terms of moral evaluations, perceptions of responsibilities, and the development of relationships. Therefore, care is used as a value and action in this study for two reasons. First, women’s issues, such as domestic violence, require an ethic of care to be used in assisting vulnerable populations, as victims’ needs should be addressed with care and concern. Secondly, contemporary scholarship in governance argues that emotional labor is prevalent among public officials, which suggests that care can instrumentally improve governance. This study uses a mixed method approach. Quantitative analysis explains the linkage of passive and active representation in legislative bodies. Survey instruments completed by legislators provided information on policy preferences, emotional labor, legislative responsibilities and political environment. Qualitative methods are used to develop a case study examining the link in representation in three southern state bureaucratic agencies. Administrators from these agencies were interviewed to explore their responsibilities, their ability to use care or exert emotional labor and represent women’s issues. Due to the lack of passive representation, in terms of female representation in southern governments, active representation is not reached in many units studied. However, regulatory agencies exhibit signs of active representation and the use of care and emotions in serving vulnerable populations. This study contributes to our understanding of female representation in the south as well as the impact politics have on the policy process.