Gender-based violence and psychological abuse: Exploring the risk factors with survivors of domestic violence in Albania

• Autor(a) principal: Joshi, Sunika
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/20720
• topic: Gender roles; Shame and honour; Patriarchy; Papéis de género; Abuso psicológico -- Psychological abuse; Vergonha e honra; Patriarcado; Psicologia social; Psicologia do género; Violência psicológica; Mulher; Serviço social; Albânia

Gender-based violence is a global phenomenon, and this study explored the lived experiences of women in physically abusive relationships and the risk factors associated with gender-based violence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 participants in Albania. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and six themes were generated, namely Experience of violence, Impact of Violence, Individual factors contributing to violence, Role of children in violence, Role of the institution in violence and Social and cultural factors contributing to violence. The results showed that psychological abuse was more common and frequent than physical abuse, and there were various risk factors associated with violence such as alcohol abuse, social norms, traditional gender roles and patriarchy. It was also found that there was a generational difference in social norms of violence against women. Some beliefs differed in younger and older participants where older women were more inclined to justify violence by men. The findings also highlighted most women lived in fear and had a feeling of helplessness while they were experiencing abuse; however, with the support and assistance from organisations, they found their voice and a sense of empowerment. Furthermore, children played an important role while experiencing violence. The findings highlighted the need for intervention in the societal level to change attitudes towards gender-based violence and the need for more organisations with trained professionals to work and support abused women to come out of the abusive relationship.