International Journal of Women's Health (Oct 2019)
A Whole Life Of Threats: A Qualitative Exploration Of Lived Experiences Of Palestinian Women Suffering From Intimate Partner Violence
Abstract
Suha Baloushah,1 Nooredin Mohammadi,2 Ziba Taghizadeh,3 Asma A Taha,4 Farnaz Farnam5 1Reproductive Health Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, International Campus, Tehran, Iran; 2Nursing Care Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4School of Nursing, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA; 5Reproductive Health Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranCorrespondence: Ziba TaghizadehTehran University of Medical Sciences, Tohid Square, Mirkhani St. Tehran 1419733171, IranTel +982161054568Email [email protected]: Violence against women is a widespread public health problem in the Palestinian community considered to be a traditional community. It is usually underreported due to cultural and religious issues. The present study was carried out in order to deepen the understanding of the feelings, thoughts, and perceptions of Palestinian women living in the Gaza Strip and suffering from intimate partner violence.Methods: Hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted. The recruited 11 Palestinian women suffering from intimate partner violence were selected via purposive means. Semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted from May to Sept 2018 were used to understand their lived experience. Data was analyzed through the Van Manen method.Results: In the process of data analysis, living in a threatening world was the main theme that was extracted from the data. The theme refers to the condition that participants were committed to their marriage and are compelled to remain in a threatening situation. That was interpreted as a whole life of threats, which was labeled as the main theme emerging from three sub-themes. This main theme included 3 subthemes namely “live in a physically threatening environment”, “live in psychologically threatening environment”, and “live in sexual threatening environment”.Conclusion: As revealed in our study, the participant suffered extremely from intimate partner violence and its consequences, which negatively affected their lives. However, their concerns about their children and lack of support were barriers for them to get a divorce; therefore, abused women need help to deal with their current lives like access to social and psychological counseling.Keywords: intimate partner violence, Palestine, qualitative study, phenomenology
