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Konur og heimilisofbeldi - áhrif á heilsu kvenna

Afleiðingar: Heimilisofbeldi getur leitt til örorku, kulnunar og í verstu tilfellum dauða.

Ofbeldishringurinn er forvarnarverkefni sem kviknaði út frá heimildaritgerð í Háskóla Íslands vorið 2018. Ritgerðin var unnin á ensku og er birt hér en þýðing er væntanleg. 

Women and domestic abuse

            Domestic violence is a global issue and studies show the effect can be long-term and women’s health is compromised. Women who have experienced domestic violence often find it hard to become independent again. Social changes have enabled women to leave abusive partners, however, more emphasis needs to be on a predominant factor of ongoing abuse, the so-called cycle of violence, first introduced in 1979. Therefore, it is important women have easy access to solutions and intervention is important. Domestic violence has affected women’s health for decades and intervention and support are vital for their recovery.

            Domestic abuse is a widespread problem and social changes can affect how women react. To begin with, the first study on domestic violence in Iceland was conducted in 1996 by the Ministry of Justice. The study showed that 21% of the women participating had experienced physical violence by their husbands in the 12 months prior to the study (12). Furthermore, the second largest group of participants were housewives (14). This is similar to statistics from The World Health Organization (WHO) showing, “the prevalence of intimate partner violence against women is 30% globally and about 23% in high-income countries” (Gracia 380). These numbers are high, although they could diminish seeing that social changes affect how women react to violence domestically. As an article by Emily M. Agree explains, divorce rate started to increase from 1960-1980 because of social changes in women’s roles and marriage (Agree 65). Thus, the baby boomers generation were affected by what was called a revolution, where divorce became more acceptable than in previous years. As a consequence, social changes encouraged many women to leave their abusive husbands.

Furthermore, domestic violence can affect women’s long-term health. Dr. Brené Brown, who has studied vulnerability, courage and shame for over 15 years, conducted a study where emotional security was among the subjects. Her conclusion was that physical security and emotional security are equally significant. In short, emotional security is about more than dealing with different points of view or feelings; it has to do with degrading language and behaviour which are the basics of physical insecurity and abuse (Brown 71). More importantly, domestic abuse follows a cycle of violence. To illustrate, a psychoanalysis by Janice Haaken describes the three phases of the cycle; the tension building phase, the explosive phase, and the “honeymoon” phase, where the abuser is remorseful until a new cycle begins (83). As a result, the cycle gradually increases the women’s insecurity and trauma. The honeymoon phase is actually presumed to be one of the main reasons for why women do not leave their abusive partners. For this reason, more emphasis needs to be placed on raising awareness of the cycle of violence in the hope that it saves lives. With regards to this, Valgerður S. Kristjánsdóttir published an essay about women who have terminated abusive relationships. Her conclusion about the affect violence has on women’s health was that all the women had experienced physical and mental health problems, both during the relationship and after it ended, and half of them are unable to work today due to illness (4). What is more, an article in the Psychological Medicine says domestic violence is linked with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse (Howard et al. 882). As a matter of fact, the World Health Organization states that domestic abuse, “remains a widespread public health problem in European countries and seriously undermines women’s physical, mental and social well-being” (Gracia 380). Because of the fact that emotional, physical, sexual, financial and digital abuse are well hidden, the women themselves are not always aware of their situation or are in denial, especially if they are not familiar with the cycle of violence. All in all, domestic violence can have serious consequences and women require assistance in order to escape the cycle of violence.

Consequently, intervention is extremely important to assist women who are living with abusive partners, whether or not there are signs of physical abuse. Assistance and resources have major significance for women so as to enable them to recover from an abusive relationship and reinforce their independence. So, intervention is important and according to WHO, evidence shows that support and counselling interventions, such as the women’s shelter in Reykjavik provides, are helpful preventions against domestic abuse (WHO). Also, in an article in the Psychological Medicine the authors state that, “the time of highest risk is at the point of, or recently after, separation from the abuser” (Howard et al. 881-882). With this in mind, for many women protected accommodation is crucial in the weeks subsequent to leaving their abuser. The women’s shelter in Reykjavik offers such accommodation for women and their children, when required. This enables the women to start recovering in a secure environment inaccessible to their partners who are therefore unable to convince them to return home. Hence, the cycle of violence is broken. In addition, women gain access to counselors, education about violence and assistance in establishing their independent lives. Most women who seek assistance from the women’s shelter experience enormous difficulty in becoming independent and 15% of them move back home to the abuser (Guðmundsdóttir 25, 70). Regarding this, assistance with accommodation and ongoing emotional support is essential. Emotional support involves for instance learning to set boundaries. Setting boundaries means determining which behaviours are accepted and learn how to encourage others and ourselves to respect them (Brown 123). Even though shelter-based counseling provides the first steps towards recovery, it is limited and a concise recovery method is needed.

            Women’s health has long been negatively affected by domestic abuse and for women to recover fully, intervention and resources are crucial. Divorce rate has increased because of social changes, enabling women to leave abusive relationships. Domestic violence can affect women’s health long-term, and a psychoanalysis explains the violence follows a cycle of three stages, each contributing to women’s insecurity. Therefore, the cycle of violence needs widespread awareness as a method of helping women. Studies show intervention is important, and shelters offering counseling and secure accomodation are important too, as they enable the majority of women to establish independence. Nevertheless, further solutions are required, as well as studies of the cycle of violence.

Heimildir/Works Cited