Det handlar om att skapa kontakt

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to shed some insight on the relationships betweenvictims of domestic partner violence and the professional social workers theymeet for help and support. Focus was placed on how the professional relationshipis crafted, how the meetings and conversations are held and what they contain andhow the social workers perceive the clients and their situation. This wasaccomplished by interviewing professionals working with people that have beenexposed to domestic violence and analyzing the results with both communicationand gender theory in mind. The conclusions reached show that compassion,patience and empathy are important tools when building a relationship of trust andsupport, especially since shame and denial are big hindrances for those seekinghelp. Furthermore, the study found that the social workers often regard the violentrelationships in a normative and sometimes stereotypical manner in terms ofgender roles and heterosexuality, but recognized them as complex and individualnonetheless.