“Att synliggöra kvinnans motstånd är otroligt viktigt i hennes läkningsprocess" : En kvalitativ intervjustudie om kvinnojourers arbete med våldsutsatta kvinnor

Sammanfattning: Men´s violence against women causes major physical and psychological consequences and is therefore classified as a prioritized public health issue by the UN. The government offers various forms of help for abused women, including support and protection through non-profit women´s shelters. The national association Unizon incorporate 90 women´s shelters that through knowledge of violence, gender and power, offer support and protection to women and children that are victims of violence. This study aims to increase the knowledge of women´s shelters work with abused women. The basis of the study is formulated through two research questions; “How do professionals work to shed light on resistance and the responsibility for the violence?” and “How does shedding the light on resistance interact with the placement of responsibility?” Based on the aim of the study, a qualitative research approach was adopted in which five semi-structured interviews with professionals at Unizon´s women´s shelters were conducted. Through a thematic analysis, two themes were identified; “To prepare the woman to leave” and “To prepare the woman to not return”. The results were analyzed using a relational perspective on power and the power triangle, as well as the concept of empowerment. The results demonstrated that by referring to violence as violence, the resistance of the abused woman is made visible, which in turn leads to clarity concerning the issue of responsibility.