Echoes of pain behind closed doors: recommendations for European governments for addressing and combatting intimate partner violence
Echoes of pain behind closed doors: recommendations for European governments for addressing and combatting intimate partner violence
Date
2024
Authors
Hadjiloizou, Anna
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Abstract
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) signifies the abusive behaviour of one person towards another
within a physical, emotional, and sexual relationship. This form of violence disproportionately
affects women, who are particularly vulnerable targets due to deeply ingrained societal
gender-based discrimination and hatred, perpetuating power imbalances (dominant-submissive) and
gender disparities. The aim of this thesis is twofold: firstly, to determine whether European States
have an effective and overarching set of national laws and strategies to address the issue of IPV.
Secondly, to suggest steps that the European States could take to enhance their national strategy on
combating Intimate Partner Violence and cultivating societies that reject patriarchy. This thesis
investigates academic research papers and statistical data to analyse and examine the various forms
of IPV, including physical, sexual, psychological and emotional, economic, and technological
abuse. Subsequently, relevant primary and secondary legal sources, both regional and national, are
assessed to identify the existing failures of European governments in eradicating IPV. The author
concludes that European States do not have comprehensive laws and execution mechanisms to
address IPV sufficiently or effectively. Consequently, recommendations are provided for
governments to improve their approaches to combating IPV and upholding women's rights.
Keywords: Intimate Partner Violence, gender-based discrimination, women's rights, physical abuse,
sexual abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, economic abuse, technological abuse, legal
frameworks, European governments, national machinery, suggestions and recommendations,
gender equality, and human rights.
Description
Second semester University: Lund University
Keywords
domestic violence,
gender discrimination,
European countries,
women rights,
sexual abuse,
violence,
patriarchy