The public stance on domestic violence has changed from taboo to intervention. Today, victims of domestic violence receive support from advice centres, the police, legal authorities, the health care system and other institutions. However, it is not known how appropriate and efficient the new interventions are. This project focuses on the perspective of the affected persons.
Background
During the past ten years, domestic violence interventions have intensified in Switzerland, as they have also in other European countries. This project evaluates the situation of women who are or have been victims of violence: How do they rate the help and advice that they received? What forms of support were helpful and useful? What conditions and circumstances had more limiting or negative effects?
Aim
The aim of this research study is to reflect on the current intervention and support network on the basis of the users’ experience. This approach extends the social policy discourse to include the dimension of the affected persons. The information will be collected by means of narrative interviews, and the contacts will be established via institutions of the support and advice network. These include the police, general help centres for victims and specialised institutions such as women’s shelters or women’s advice centres. In addition the working methods of these institutions will be examined. The study will look at institutions in four cantons of Switzerland.
Significance
The results should reveal whether and how the changed practice contributes towards the well-being of victims of domestic violence. The findings should also show what interactions between the experience of violence and gender-specific conditions/circumstances may possibly continue to affect these women. Including the persons affected brings in a new perspective and provides new knowledge in a still urgent problem area within gender equality.
Original title: Betroffenensicht zu Recht und Interventionen bei Partnergewalt – auf dem Weg zur Gleichstellung der Geschlechter?
Grant: CHF 214‘788.-
Duration: 30 months
Project leader
- Dr. Daniela Gloor, Social Insight, Forschung Evaluation Beratung, Schinznach-Dorf