The lived experiences of intimate partner violence in Iranian women staying with their abusive partners.

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has severe physical and mental complications; however, some women stay in abusive relationships. There is little in-depth qualitative work on the experiences of IPV in Iranian women staying with their abusive partners. In this study, we aim to explore the lived experiences of IPV in Iranian women with a history of remaining in abusive relationships in order to help identify the factors related to their decision to stay with their abusive partners.

Methods: This is a qualitative study that was conducted in 2021-2022. Twelve married women living in Tehran city, who had a history of staying with their abusive partners for at least two years were sampled purposefully (after reaching data saturation) and interviewed. The content analysis was conducted using Colaizzi's seven-step method.

Results: The results led to the extraction of five themes including psychological factors (psychological entrapment, depression, fear of loneliness, conflicting feelings, PTSD, fear of life-threatening danger, low self-esteem, learned helplessness), relational factors (repeat of violence, return of violence, emotional divorce, presence of children), family-related factors (parents as role model, bad relationship with parents, escape from family, lack of family support), socioeconomic factors (social stigma, social isolation, lack of proper mental health services, financial dependence, inefficient criminal justice system, lack of support from governmental organizations), and attitudinal factors (justifying violence, faking happiness, lack of awareness, shame, hope for change).

Conclusion: Different psychological, relational, family-related, socioeconomic, and attitudinal factors affect Iranian women's decision to stay with their abusive partners. Policymakers and decision-makers in Iran should focus on empowering these women, especially those who are the victims of IPV, and consider ways to develop policies that support them in all areas.