The objective of this study was to examine the association between risky sexual behavior and contextual factors related to economic resources, woman’s empowerment, and health facility characteristics among young women in Zomba district, Malawi. Secondary analyses of the Schooling, Income, and Health Risk (SIHR) study were undertaken. Four outcomes related to risky sexual behavior were examined: if participants had ever had sex, consistent condom use, and two scores measuring risk related to partner history and age during sexual activity. Regression models with cluster-robust standard errors and multilevel regression models were used to estimate associations; analyses were stratified by school enrolment status at baseline of the SIHR study and utilized weights to account for SIHR sampling design. For participants in school at baseline, the percent of girls enrolled in school at the community level was associated with ever having sex and consistent condom use. Belief in the right to refuse sex was protective against ever having sex, lower household education was associated with higher odds of ever having sex, and near rural and far rural residence was associated with decreased odds of condom. For participants not in school at baseline, lower individual education was associated with riskier scores related to age and partner history and lower household education was associated with lower age during sexual activity. Private or non-governmental health facilities were associated with decreased odds of condom use and higher age during sexual activity. In both strata, increasing age and near rural residence (within 16 kilometers of urban center) increased odds of ever having sex; lower educational achievement was associated with lower age during sexual activity. A history of pregnancy was associated with lower odds of condom use and riskier partner history. Risky sexual behavior is multifaceted and complex. While various factors related to women’s empowerment played a role, the most consistent variables associated with risky sexual behavior were those related to education. Interventions and programs seeking to reduce risky sexual behavior among young women, thereby reducing their risk of HIV infection, should continue to focus on improving access to education at multiple levels.

This study aims to understand how women’s interactions in online based forums concerningexperiences of violence contributes to practices of sisterhood. Women’s interactions havebeen analysed using conceptual understandings of awareness-raising and sisterhood. Thestudy’s primary contributions are the theoretical concepts: Linear and Circular practices ofsisterhood. The concepts are coined and introduced with the aim to make divergences withincontemporary understandings and practices of sisterhood visible. Circular practices ofsisterhood refer to the traditional practice based on a ‘give-and-take’ relation, with emotionalcloseness. Linear practices of sisterhood aim to delineate how sisterhood can be practices ‘to’someone, rather than ‘between’ two women. Linear practices of sisterhood can be explainedas: A practices sisterhood towards B, with the aim for B to be able to practice sisterhoodtowards C, and so on. I suggest that this change within traditionally central concepts is a resultof a professionalised work and movement towards men’s violence on women.My study is based on eight semi structured interviews. Five informants represented ‘shelterorganisations’, (referred to as formal forums) and three informants who represented accountson Instagram (referred to as informal forums). The interviews were centred around howwomen’s interactions concerning experiences of violence is understood and practiced withinthese forums. This study draws the conclusion that both formal and informal forumsunderstand women’s interactions concerning experiences of violence similarly. This as all ofthe informants understand violence as a female experience where interactions women-towomen has a certain value. All of the informants also describe these interactions as stipulatingpractices of sisterhood. What on the other hand differs between formal and informal forumsare the changes within the practices of awareness-raising and practices of sisterhood in theformal forums. With the support of Jeffner (1994) and Helmersson (2017) I argue thesechanges is a result sprung from the societies will to professionalise the work with men’sviolence on women. / I föreliggande studie har kvinnors interaktioner i onlinebaserade rum studerats i syftet attförstå hur erfarenhetsdelande och medvetandehöjning med våldet som gemensam erfarenhetbidrar till systerskap(ande). Kvinnors interaktioner har analyserats utifrån de(kvinno)historiskt centrala koncepten medvetandehöjning och systerskap. Studiens primärabidrag är de teoretiska koncepten Linjära och Cirkulära systerskap(anden). Konceptenintroduceras i syftet att bredda förståelsen av systerskap(anden) och synliggör en differens ipraktiker av samtida systerskap(anden). Cirkulära systerskap åsyftar den traditionellapraktiken där ett givande och tagande med emotionell närhet står i centrum. Linjärasysterskap(anden) ämnar synliggöra en förändrad praktik av systerskap. I linjärasysterskap(anden) systerskap(ar) kvinnor i ’etapper’, dvs, A systerskap(ar) med B för att Bska kunna systerskap(a) med C. Utifrån min studie föreslår jag att denna förändring är ettresultat av en professionalisering av kvinnors organisering mot mäns våld mot kvinnor.Min studie baseras på åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer. Fem informanter representerade’jourorganisationer’ (omnämnda som formella rum) och tre informanter representeradeInstagramkonton (omnämnda som informella rum). Intervjuerna centrerades kring hurkvinnors erfarenhetsdelande om våld förstås och görs i ’deras’ rum. Slutsatser som jag istudien drar är att informanter från både formella och informella rum förstår kvinnligterfarenhetsdelande på liknande vis. Detta då dem förstår våld som en kvinnlig erfarenhet därinteraktioner kvinna till kvinna har ett värde, och beskriver detta som (olika former av)systerskap(ande). Däremot skiljer sig praktiker, eller ’görandet’, av kvinnligterfarenhetsdelande. Dessa förändrade praktiker i de formella rummen argumenterar jag, medstöd av Jeffner (1994) och Helmersson (2017), är ett resultat av ett professionaliserat arbetemot mäns våld mot kvinnor

The present PhD thesis is compilation of various investigations for the development of a physiological profile in women’s soccer. After an extensive literature review, several literature gaps in this area were identified including: physiological demands of a women’s soccer match including simultaneous measurements with portable metabolic equipment and GPS technology; physical performance analysis of women’s soccer competitive matches of different competition levels using GPS technology; and fitness testing and fitness profiles of female soccer players of different competitive levels by means of laboratory and field tests. The investigations that are part of this thesis targeted these gaps and provided for the first time novel and objective findings in these subjects. The popularity of women’s soccer as well as the number of female soccer players worldwide has increased exponentially in the last 30 years. Furthermore, there are now multiple women’s soccer international competitions and professional leagues around the globe and they will continue to increase in the next few years. Therefore, there is currently high demand for scientific research specific to the women’s game in these topics which may aid coaches, physical trainers, and other practitioners to develop more effective fitness assessments and training programs for their female players in order to improve their fitness status and overall match performance according to their competitive level and positional role.:DEDICATION iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION vi ABSTRACT vii LIST OF PUBLICATIONS viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ix LIST OF TABLES xi LIST OF FIGURES xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xiii 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. WOMEN’S SOCCER BACKGROUND 1 1.2. PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS 3 1.3. PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF WOMEN’S SOCCER 4 2 DISSERTATION AIMS 6 3 STATE OF THE ART 8 3.1. PORTABLE METABOLIC, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE MEASUREMENTS 8 3.2. GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) MEASUREMENTS 9 3.3. TEST PROTOCOLS 10 3.3.1. ANTHROPOMETRY ASSESSMENT 10 3.3.2. AEROBIC CAPACITY TESTS 11 3.3.3. SPEED, ANAEROBIC ABILITY AND EXPLOSIVE POWER TESTS 15 4 OWN AREAS OF RESEARCH 18 4.1. PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF A WOMEN’S FOOTBALL MATCH (ENGLISH SUMMARY FROM “PHYSIOLOGISCHE BEANSPRUCHUNG EINES FRAUENFUẞBALLSPIELS)” – (P-I) 18 4.2. GPS PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF WOMEN’S SOCCER COMPETITIVE MATCHES OF THE SECOND AND FOURTH GERMAN LEAGUES – (P-IV) 21 4.3. VALIDITY OF THE YO-YO INTERMITTENT RECOVERY TEST LEVEL 1 FOR DIRECT MEASUREMENT OR INDIRECT ESTIMATION OF MAXIMAL OXYGEN UPTAKE AMONG FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS – (P-II) 25 4.4. FITNESS PROFILES OF GERMAN FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS (UNPUBLISHED RESULTS) 26 5 CONCLUSIONS AND OUTLOOK 31 5.1. MAIN FINDINGS 31 5.2. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS 33 5.3. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS 33 5.4. FUTURE DIRECTIONS 34 6 REFERENCES 36 EIGENSTÄNDIGKEITSERKLÄRUNG 39 AUTHOR’S RESUME 40 ORIGINAL PUBLICATIONS 42 PUBLICATION 1 (P-I) 43 PUBLICATION 2 (P-II) 50 PUBLICATION 3 (P-III) 58 PUBLICATION 4 (P-IV) 74

The purpose of this study was to examine Machofabriken 2.0 through discourse analysis.Examine how concepts are filled with meaning and what alternative meanings that are excluded. Ialso scrutinized what pedagogic tools and strategies put forward to achieve change and discuss ifit is possible to approach ordinary men as violent. Furthermore, I have analyzed underpinningassumptions of gender and violence and how masculinities, femininities, violence, andresponsibility are discursively produced. I have paid extra attention to three short movies; RealLife (Sexual harassment and bystander), Ice Cream (Consent and Free will) and Step-up(Pornography) with inspiration from feministfrequency.se to explore visual media and to payattention to the Male Gaze, objectification and sexualization of women, constructed differencesbetween men and women. Feminist Frequency provided me with the concept of Tropes in theexamination of representations of boys and girls in the short movies.The examination has uncovered gender biases in Machofabriken, which privilege the male overthe female and runs the categories fixed and reveals how the masculine discourse has constructedwomen as the Other. This thesis argues, it has dismantled the destructive masculine discourse andhow subjects of both genders are positioned and constituted within that discourse. This alsomeans the construction of gender is already there, before the text, before the short movies.

A variety of research has been done on why it is important to include local women in peace processes to gain a more sustainable peace. Despite this, there is a limited amount of information and research about women mediation networks and their aim to empower local women peacebuilders. This research explores how women mediation networks can support and empower women in conflict resolutions in relation to the Swedish Feminist Foreign Policy and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. By using semi-structured interviews and literature analysis, a case study of the Swedish Women’s Mediation Network will be conducted. The analysis of the Swedish Women’s Mediation Network, reveals that the network mainly works with the representation of women and uses capacity-building to empower women in other regions. This research brings more awareness to the Women Mediation Networks and their mission to increase the number of women in peace processes.

Mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relation är ett stort samhällsproblem. Ett resultat av den fortskridande coronapandemin, och dess restriktioner som innebär individuella rörelsebegränsningar, är att kriminologer befarar en ökning av våld i nära relation i Sverige. Föreliggande studie syftar till att undersöka huruvida pandemin har resulterat i en förändring av antalet kvinnor som söker hjälp hos svenska kvinnojourer under våren 2020 och möjliga förklaringar till detta fenomen. Därigenom undersökning utforskades och konceptualiserades våld i nära relation i förhållande till coronakrisen. I förfarandet av studien användes en mixad design för att få en djupare och vidare förståelse för ämnet. Med en kvantitativ enkät kartlades nationellt huruvida 93 kvinnojourer runt om i Sverige uppfattar en eventuell förändring. Genom sex kvalitativa intervjuer återgav representanter för svenska kvinnojourer sina upplevelser. Resultatet visar på varierande uppfattningar om det har skett en förändring på belastningen sedan coronautbrottet i Sverige. Däremot delar alla informanter uppfattningen om att det faktiska relationsvåldet har ökat under krisen. Informanternas förklaringar till denna utveckling grundas i ett strukturellt perspektiv, men kopplas även till individuella faktorer som kan förstärkas under krisen och öka risken för våld i nära relation. / Intimate partner violence is a major issue in our society. As a result of the emerging Corona Virus Pandemic, and the restrictions this has placed upon individual mobility, criminologists have come to fear that the pandemic has caused an increase in violence against women in the Swedish society. The following study seeks to investigate whether the pandemic has led to changing numbers of women entering women’s shelters in the spring of 2020 and possible explanations of this phenomena. In doing so, the main objective is to evaluate and conceptualise intimate partner violence in relation to the crisis. In order to fully grasp both the width and depth of this issue, the preferable method of choice was a mixed design. To quantify the national perception, 93 respondents from different women’s shelters were surveyed. In addition, six qualitative interviews with various women’s shelters representatives were conducted. The result shows varying understandings whether the numbers of women seeking help has changed since the outbreak of the Corona Virus in Sweden. However, all of the informants share a strong belief that intimate partner violence has increased during the pandemic. The informants’ explanations for this development derives from a structural theoretical standpoint, while also pointing to individual factors that may be enhanced during the crisis and increase the risk of intimate partner violence.

Men´s violence against women causes major physical and psychological consequences and is therefore classified as a prioritized public health issue by the UN. The government offers various forms of help for abused women, including support and protection through non-profit women´s shelters. The national association Unizon incorporate 90 women´s shelters that through knowledge of violence, gender and power, offer support and protection to women and children that are victims of violence. This study aims to increase the knowledge of women´s shelters work with abused women. The basis of the study is formulated through two research questions; “How do professionals work to shed light on resistance and the responsibility for the violence?” and “How does shedding the light on resistance interact with the placement of responsibility?” Based on the aim of the study, a qualitative research approach was adopted in which five semi-structured interviews with professionals at Unizon´s women´s shelters were conducted. Through a thematic analysis, two themes were identified; “To prepare the woman to leave” and “To prepare the woman to not return”. The results were analyzed using a relational perspective on power and the power triangle, as well as the concept of empowerment. The results demonstrated that by referring to violence as violence, the resistance of the abused woman is made visible, which in turn leads to clarity concerning the issue of responsibility.

Covid-19 pandemin har kommit att göra en global påverkan och risken för mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relationer har således ökat. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur kvinnojourers arbete och insatser, samt deras samverkan med socialtjänsten, har kommit att påverkas och förändras av covid-19 pandemin och om nya insatser har implementeras. Studien utgår från kvalitativ ansats där åtta kvinnojourer, placerade i Skåne, blivit intervjuade. Tillsammans med den insamlade empirin och studiens teoretiska val, samt en tematisk analysmetod, ämnar jag att uppmärksamma kvinnojourernas berättelser om pandemins påverkan. Följaktligen ämnar jag att belysa deras tillvägagångssätt för upprätthålla och förändra sitt arbete för att nå sitt mål och fortsätta hjälpa våldsutsatta kvinnor och således förebygga mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relationer. Resultaten påvisar att det blivit svårare för kvinnojourerna att utföra sitt arbete och sina insatser på grund av rädslan pandemin medfört, samtidigt som de observerar en ökning gällande antalet våldsutsatta kvinnor som kontaktar dem. Kvinnojourerna beslutar sig för att förändra och utöka sina tidigare insatser, men även implementera nya, som de tillsammans med sitt nya tankesätt sedan väljer att kvarhålla när samhället börjar öppna upp igen. Kvinnojourernas samverkan med socialtjänsten påverkas och förändras då de inte längre kan samtala och besöka varandra som de tidigare gjort. Utöver problematiken kring deras samtal med socialtjänsten så observeras även att färre kvinnor placeras av socialtjänsten i kvinnojourernas skyddade boenden. Denna uppsats belyser vikten i kvinnojourernas arbete kring förebyggandet av mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relationer och hur väsentligt det är att besitta kunskap om krishantering när osäkra tider, som covid-19 pandemi, uppstår. / The Covid-19 pandemic has made a global impact and the risk of domestic violence against women has thus increased. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the work and actions of women’s shelters, as well as their cooperation with the social services, has been affected or changed by the covid-19 pandemic and if new actions have been implemented. The study is based on a qualitative approach where eight women’s shelters, located in Skåne, have been interviewed. Together with the collected empirical data and the study’s theoretical choices, as well as a thematic analysis method, I aim to illuminate the women shelter’s stories concerning the pandemic’s impact. Furthermore, I intend to illumine their course of action to maintaining and changning their work to achieve their goal and continue to help abused women and thus prevent men's violence against women in close relationships. The results demonstrate that it has become more difficult for women's shelters to carry out their work and actions due to the fear caused by the pandemic, while at the same time observing an increase regarding the number of women exposed to violence who contact them. The women's shelters decide to change and expand their previous actions, but also to implement new ones, which they, together with their new way of thinking, then choose to retain when society begins to reopen. The women's shelters' cooperation with the social services is affected and changed as they can no longer talk and visit each other as they previously did. In addition to the problems concerning their communication with the social services, it is also observed that fewer women are placed by the social services in the women's sheltered housing. This essay enlightens the importance of women shelter's work in regards to the prevention of men's violence against women in close relationships and how essential it is to possess knowledge about crisis management when uncertain times, such as the covid-19 pandemic, arise.

Despite a steady economic and social development in Bangladesh, women are in an underprivileged situation in many ways. In this context, this thesis aims to explore the impact of mobile phone use on women’s empowerment in Bangladesh. The thesis employs ordered logit model and multinomial logit model using Financial Inclusion Insights (2017) survey data to investigate the relationship between mobile phone use and women’s empowerment. The main result of the thesis indicates that mobile phone use facilitates women’s empowerment in general, but mobile phone use does not give additional support for women’s empowerment in a male headed household. Moreover, social media use by one’s own mobile phone does not help women’s empowerment. The result of this thesis implies that mobile phone conversation does not make any difference in women’s performance to comply with gender norms. Another implication of the result is that mobile phone use itself does not ensure women’s increasing awareness about their rights and does not in all instances help defeat patriarchy. In addition, social media use may expand social networks, but using social media itself does not confirm that it helps women’s empowerment.

In the last few years, there has been an explosion of Facebook groups specifically directed at a female audience. One topic that seems to organize and interest Swedish women especially is money. This study explores the biggest Swedish financial group of them all: Economista – women who enjoy stocks and private economy, currently hosting 146 thousand members.  The group is studied through a theoretical lens of fourth wave feminism, characterized by the use of digital tools for feminist action, as well as a revival of the feminist collective action from the second wave feminism, and a continuation of a feminist individual empowerment of third wave feminism. The study aims to investigate how feminism, and the empowerment of women is negotiated within the group. It also investigates what defines and delimits the female discursive object of the Economista. Methods used are a critical feminist discourse analysis and an explorative netnography, combined with focus group discussions with members of the group. The study shows that Economista can be seen as a collective space as members experience the group as a safe space where they educate each other about the stock market – a field historically dominated by men, that many are reluctant to enter. It also functions as a space for consciousness raising about patriarchal structures playing out in their everyday economic lives. However, the group can also be viewed as a limited emancipation, as it only includes a limited scope of individuals. The economically liberated subject that comes forth – The Economista – is a neoliberal, feminine version of a Homo economicus, who is responsible for making deliberate, rational decisions regarding her economy. In this postfeminist discourse, feminist analysis is no longer needed, as women have all the possibilities in the world to live a rich and happy life – if they just put their minds into it. The study shows that it is precisely these instances of “empowerment” that are important to dissect, as these often conceal limiting structures. In this case, the implications that this notion of freedom and “lack of governance” has for feminist struggle is that it masks norms, hierarchies and structural power relations producing economic inequality. Economista thus becomes part of the problem that it sets out to solve, as the group pictures itself as a solution to women’s economic inequality, at the expense of other solutions.