Kärlek på vems villkor? : en studie om sex misshandlade kvinnors upplevelser av våld i nära relationer

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this essay was to contribute to an increased understanding about battered women. We also wanted to find patterns and explanations as to why the women acted as they did. The questions asked were: - Why didn't the women leave the men after the first abuse? - Why did the women accept the abuse? - What makes the women choose the same kind of men over and over again? "Love on whose terms", is a qualitative study of six women who have lived in a relationship with violence. They have all been abused physically, mentally and/or sexually. We also interviewed key persons who work with abused women. The result of the study showed that it was difficult to find the answers to the questions asked because abuse of women is a very complicated field. The women who were addicted to drugs didn't see the violence as abuse until they were free from drugs. Many women tried to leave the relationship many times but it took a long time until they succeeded. To sum up, the study showed that the women we interviewed, didn't see themselves as battered women while they were living in the relationship.