Between Remembering and Forgetting

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tova Band-Winterstein ◽  
Zvi Eisikovits ◽  
Chaya Koren

‘Lived experiences’ of forgiveness of older abused women throughout a life in intimate partner violence are described and analysed from a phenomenological perspective. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 older abused Jewish women in Northern Israel. The data were analysed along two dimensions: one related to the need to explore who forgives whom; the other to various ways of forgiving, starting from not forgetting and not forgiving, moving through forgiveness experienced as burden, the struggle between forgetting and remembering as an obstacle to forgiveness at the same time, remembering without verbalizing violence, ‘giving in’, and ending with forgiving and not forgetting. The discussion deals with the ways forgiveness enables the bridging between suffering, martyrdom, strength resulting from wisdom of age and survival. The meaning of being an older abused woman in the light of this duality is explored.

Encyclopedia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1038-1046
Author(s):  
Octav-Sorin Candel ◽  
Mihaela Jitaru

Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted most people’s activities and relationships. Romantic relationships are a crucial source of fulfillment and emotional safety for many individuals. However, due to the risk of illness and the social distancing norms, human interaction, even inside one’s couple or family, suffered great changes. Some of these changes have the potential of disrupting people’s relational or psychological well-being, but they can also have positive impacts. On the other hand, one of the most negative consequences is the growing number of intimate partner violence (IPV) incidents. Considering all these aspects, therapy would be beneficial for those affected.


2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Douglas ◽  
Stella Tarrant ◽  
Julia Tolmie

This article considers what evidence juries need to help them apply the defence of self-defence where a woman claims she has killed an abusive partner to save her own life. Drawing on recent research and cases we argue that expert evidence admitted in these types of cases generally fails to provide evidence about the nature of abuse, the limitations in the systemic safety responses and the structural inequality that abused women routinely face. Evidence of the reality of the woman’s safety options, including access to, and the realistic support offered by, services such as police, housing, childcare, safety planning and financial support should be presented. In essence, juries need evidence about what has been called social entrapment so they can understand how women’s safety options are deeply intertwined with their degree of danger and therefore with the question of whether their response (of killing their abuser) was necessary based on reasonable grounds. We consider the types of evidence that may be important in helping juries understand the concept and particular circumstances of social entrapment, including the role of experts in this context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (15) ◽  
pp. 1806-1828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy J. Fitzgerald ◽  
Betty Jo Barrett ◽  
Rochelle Stevenson ◽  
Chi Ho Cheung

This study tests the theoretically informed assumption that intimate partner violence (IPV) and animal abuse so frequently co-occur because animal maltreatment is instrumentalized by abusers to harm human victims. Using data from a survey of abused women in Canadian shelters, we find that threats to harm “pets,” emotional animal abuse, and animal neglect are clearly perceived by these survivors as being intentionally perpetrated by their abuser and motivated by a desire to upset and control them; the findings related to physical animal abuse are not as straightforward. Building on these findings, we propose a more nuanced theorizing of the coexistence of animal maltreatment and IPV.


Author(s):  
Zaina Mchome ◽  
Gerry Mshana ◽  
Diana Aloyce ◽  
Esther Peter ◽  
Donati Malibwa ◽  
...  

Intimate partner violence is a recognized public health and development issue that is consistently and comparatively measured through women’s experience of physical and/or sexual acts by their partner. While physical intimate partner violence is covered by a wide range of behaviors, sexual intimate partner violence (SIPV) is often only measured through attempted or completed forced sex, ignoring less obvious forms of sexual intimate partner violence. We explored women’s conceptualizations of SIPV by conducting in-depth interviews with 18 Tanzanian women. Using a thematic approach, we identified key features of women’s sexual intimate relationships and their perceptions of them. The women clearly defined acts of positive sexual relationships that occurred with mutual consent and seduction and SIPV that included acts of forced sex and sex under the threat of violence. They also identified several acts that were crossing the line, whereby a discrepancy of views existed whether they constituted SIPV, such as having sex when out of the mood, sex being the duty of the wife, sex during the menses, requests for anal sex, having sex to not lose the husband, husband refusing sex and husband having other partners. Women in this study felt violated by a far wider range of sexual acts in their relationships. Future studies need to improve the measurement of sexual intimate partner violence to allow the collection of encompassing, yet comparable, data on this harmful phenomenon.


Affilia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-497
Author(s):  
Mariachiara Feresin ◽  
Federica Bastiani ◽  
Lucia Beltramini ◽  
Patrizia Romito

Violence against women often continues after couples separate. Although the involvement of children in intimate partner violence is known, no study has investigated the role of children in postseparation violence in southern Europe. The aim of this study was to analyze male perpetrators’ strategies to maintain control over the woman after couples separate and the involvement of children in this process. We designed a multimethod research with a sample of women attending five anti-violence centers in Italy: In the quantitative part, women were interviewed with a questionnaire ( N = 151) at baseline and followed up 18 months later ( N = 91); in the qualitative part, in-depth interviews were carried out with women ( N = 13) attending the same centers. Results showed that women experienced high levels of violence and that children were deeply involved. When women with children were no longer living with the violence perpetrator, threats, violence, manipulation, and controlling behaviors occurred during father–child contacts: 78.9% of women in the longitudinal survey and all women in the qualitative study reported at least one of these unsettling behaviors. The qualitative study allowed for discovering some specific perpetrator strategies. Making the woman feel guilty, threatening, denigrating, and impoverishing her; preventing her from living a normal life; and trying to destroy the mother–child bond were key elements of a complex design aimed at maintaining coercive control over the ex-partner. Results from this multimethod study provided a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of coercive control and postseparation violence and how perpetrators use children to fulfill their aims.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 334-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Spangaro ◽  
Jane Koziol-McLain ◽  
Alison Rutherford ◽  
Anthony B. Zwi

Intimate partner violence (IPV) routine screening is widely implemented, yet the evidence for pathways to impact remains unclear. Of the 32 abused women interviewed 16 weeks after antenatal IPV screening, 24 reported positive impact, six reported nil positive impact, and two reported negative impact. Using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), key conditions for positive impact were care in asking, and support and validation from the midwife. Lack of these and lack of continuity of care were relevant to nil positive impact. Benefits included naming the abuse, connection, unburdening, taking steps to safety, and enabling informed care. Disclosure was not required for positive impact.


Author(s):  
Chiara Rollero ◽  
Federica Speranza

Research has largely documented the damaging consequences of intimate partner violence. However, the literature presents an important gap in the identification of factors that may strengthen resilience in the victims, especially in the case of mothers and pregnant women. The present study aimed at investigating the experience of abused mothers engaged in an educative path in a Mother–Child Assisted Living Center. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of eight women. Four main themes emerged from the interviews: (1) improvement in the mother–child relationship; (2) a process of personal change during the educative path; (3) the rebuilding of trust relationships; and (4) attitudes and hopes toward the future. Taken together, these findings highlight the process of resilience, conceived from a socioecological perspective as the ability to use resources rooted in interconnected systems. The implications of these findings are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen E. Straus ◽  
Elizabeth H. Guonjian ◽  
Errick Christian ◽  
Rebecca R. Roberts

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-141
Author(s):  
Suwannee Sroisong ◽  
Somporn Kantharadussadee Triamchaisri ◽  
Ronnachai Kongsakon ◽  
Trude Bennett ◽  
Ratchneewan Ross

Purpose The study on experiences of women with intimate partner violence (IPV) reveals the meanings of recovering psychological health and independence from their abuser. However, not much study has been done to reveal experiences of abused women in their attempt to recover from their past traumatic experiences in the context of Thai society. The purpose of this paper is to explore experiences of survivors of IPV in Thai women. Design/methodology/approach Key informants included ten women who had experienced IPV and left abusive relationships. They were recruited from a provincial hospital in upper southern part of Thailand. Data were collected from in-depth interviews and analyzed using a phenomenological method. Findings Findings showed that five themes had emerged as follows: seeking help and support; decision to terminate the abusive trap; enhancing empowerment to solve their problems; learning to forgive the abuser; and adopting the ability to stand on one’s own two feet. Originality/value The study helps shed light on the recovering of the abused women. The survivors had faced psychological suffering and economic problems. Therefore, they need supports in order to make the exit possible and to use group support to increase their strength in fighting against an abusive relationship.


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