Fear, conformity and silence. Intimate partner violence in rural areas of Ecuador

Abstract

The situation of intimate partner violence in Latin America is a complex problem that has serious consequences for thousands of women. In this study the factors and dynamics involved in such violence in a context of small rural communities are analyzed. To do this from an ecological framework of analysis, we have developed a qualitative study in rural communities of the province of Imbabura, in Ecuador. Seven focus groups involving a total of 63 people were held. The results show: (i) the importance of community environment and interactions of victim and perpetrator to the family, neighborhood and police intervention; (ii) the way that the territory structure and state action affect the handling of situations of intimate partner violence, and (iii) the effects of the pressure exerted by the various members of the community can have on the victim and their ability to report the situation. Finally, the possibility that the identified factors can be explanatory and illuminating elements of the dynamics of violence in similar contexts to the case study is targeted.