"Forgiveness" in gender violence and its effects on health.

Abstract

The consequences of the type of forgiveness employed have great therapeutic relevance for battered women. From a traditional perspective, forgiveness involves the reduction of negative feelings towards the aggressor and the appearance of compassion, which increases the probability of retaking the relationship. Not to forgive would mean rage, guilt, avoidance and another series of negative effects on women. Finally, dispositional forgiveness involves overcoming negative events. The aim of the study was, therefore, to establish the relationship between forgiveness and psychoso- matic illness in women who have been victims of gender violence. In the study 17 women were involved; the aged range was 26 to 60. The results showed a significant effect of the level of forgiveness and its type (forgiveness of the situation and self-forgiveness, forgiveness of the other) on psychosomatic illnesses. In general, the difficulties to forgive were associated with higher frequencies in the appearance of some psychosomatic symptoms.

Keywords

• perdón
• violencia de género
• enfermedades psicosomáticas
• intervención