“We have to fight for our existence in the system”: exploring service providers’ experiences with male victims and female perpetrators of intimate partner violence
Journal of Criminal Psychology
ISSN: 2009-3829
Article publication date: 23 July 2024
Issue publication date: 2 January 2025
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the experiences of service providers supporting male victims and female perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). The study explored the drivers, methods and treatments of female-perpetrated IPV, the nature and impact of abuse towards male victims, the barriers and facilitators to service provision and the impact on the practitioners themselves.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a qualitative approach, using reflexive thematic analysis to analyse semi-structured interviews with 13 experienced service providers.
Findings
Two overarching themes were identified: systemic issues in service provision, including challenges with multi-agency approaches, funding and availability of services and the impact on practitioners; and gender stereotypes, which created barriers to male victims' help-seeking and influenced the treatment of female perpetrators.
Practical implications
The findings suggest the need for a multi-level approach, addressing gendered inequalities in IPV policy and funding, implementing gender-inclusive, evidence-based and trauma-informed practices, and raising public and professional awareness to challenge the dominant “domestic violence stereotype”.
Originality/value
This study provides a detailed, in-depth exploration of the experiences of service providers supporting “non-typical” populations in IPV, revealing the complex, multi-faceted challenges they face within a system that is inherently designed to support female victims of male perpetrators.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: There are no funding details associated with this manuscript.
Availability of data and material and coding apparatus: Data and apparatus for this study are not available due to confidentiality and sensitivity issues.
Disclosure statement: The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.
Citation
Pisano, G., Widanaralalage, B.K. and Willmott, D. (2025), "“We have to fight for our existence in the system”: exploring service providers’ experiences with male victims and female perpetrators of intimate partner violence", Journal of Criminal Psychology, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 17-36. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-04-2024-0033
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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