Vem är jag utan dig? En kvalitativ litteraturstudie om våldsutsatta kvinnors identitet

Sammanfattning: Domestic violence against women is a world health issue as well as a public health problem in Sweden. The aim of this study was to gain a broader understanding of how women’s identities are affected by being exposed to domestic violence. Furthermore, the aim was to comprehend what role identity has in the women’s ability to leave the relationship. To gain this understanding Goffman's theory of total institutions, as well as Mead's theory of the development of the self, were used in this study. The method used in this bachelor's thesis was a qualitative textual analysis of six autobiographies written by women in Sweden who have had personal experiences of domestic violence. Our results showed that the women internalized and normalized the violence that they were exposed to and that they began to view themselves in the same way as their partner described them. The women experienced a loss of self, caused by the isolation and control that they were subjected to. A change in behavior and appearance could be traced, by the women themselves, to their methods of avoiding physical and emotional abuse. In addition to this, both active and passive resistance was shown by some of the women during their relationship. In conclusion, the women had difficulties both identifying themselves as abused victims and understanding that what they experienced was violence.