Skip to search boxSkip to navigationSkip to main content

Abused women’s perceptions of professionals’ responses: valued support, or collusion with perpetrator?

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well
  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
    SDG 5 Gender Equality
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Abstract

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is recognised as a serious public health issue that detrimentally affects the lives of victims during, and after exiting, the relationship. For staff in overstretched criminal justice, health and social care agencies, high prevalence rates of DVA place a significant strain on the financial and emotional resources available to them. Drawing on Angie Ash’s (2013) concept of ‘cognitive masks’, and using data collected as part of a larger study, I examine the responses from agencies that frustrated women’s attempts to leave an abusive male partner. Fourteen women, recruited via three specialist support agencies in two English counties and my own personal networks, participated in semi-structured narrative style interviews. Findings suggest that practitioners sometimes ignore significant aspects of the case, thus rendering the situation more manageable – for themselves. For women, however, this can frustrate their attempts to exit the relationship and remain abuse-free.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 411-427 (17 pages)

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Gender-Based Violence (Volume 2, Issue 3)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/10/2018

Publication status

Published - 01/10/2018

ISSN

2398-6808

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/622925
  • Scopus: 85096601427

Access to documents

Publication metrics

Metrics

Download statistics
Download count
2