"Hon sitter i en jäkla rävsax" : Professionellas erfarenheter av hur ekonomiskt våld påverkar kvinnor som bryter upp från relationer med våldsutövande män

Sammanfattning: Among all the types of violence against women the economic abuse does not always appear that often in the context of domestic abuse. Previous research interprets and categorizes economic abuse as physical violence and controlling behavior and is not distinguished for what it can imply for the life of the woman. Men’s economic abuse against women can therefore affect women’s life in a lifelong and/or life sacrificing way. The aim of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of social workers experiences of men’s economic abuse against women in heterosexual relationships and which consequences it may have for the women. The study is based on eight individual qualitative interviews with social workers and women shelter employees, both with and without a bachelor’s degree in social work. The empirical findings have been thematically analyzed with Yvonne Hirdman’s theory of gender system as a foundation. The result shows that the connection between the theory of gender system and men’s economic abuse against women, forms for example in gender contracts. The result also shows that social workers' experiences are that abused women suffer from multiple consequences of economic abuse, even after a separation, which can have lifelong negative impact for women as victims of violence.  The gender perspective is useful in social work, to understand and interpret men’s economic abuse against women, and to prevent reproducing these systems. It is also important to acknowledge the consequences, for women, that emerge after the separation to create a stronger safety network for women that have been victims of men’s economic abuse.