Vägval i mörkret: Att stanna i eller lämna en våldsam relation: En kvalitativ studie om kvinnors berättelser av uppbrottsprocessen från våld i nära relationer

Sammanfattning: Domestic violence is not a new phenomenon and it is regarded as a social and public health problem worldwide. Domestic violence means great suffering for the victims of violence, but also a cost to society in the form of healthcare, lost income, sick leave, and efforts from social services. Most of the research about why women remain in or leave abusive relationships is made within an international context. Therefore the purpose of this essay was to explore why women remain in or leave a violent relationship in Sweden. Our study was a qualitative document analysis based on four autobiographies. The study showed that hope, alternation between heat and cold, and internalization were factors that can explain why women stay in violent relationships. The factors we identified as explanations for why women left were that hope decreases, insight, and supportive network. To analyze our material we have used three different theories. The theories used in this study were the normalization process, traumatic bonding, and the process of role exit.