Document Type : Research/Original/Regular

Authors

• Fatemeh Badakhsh ¹
• Yasser Rezapour Mirsaleh ²
• Azade Choob foroush zadeh ³

¹ Department of Counseling, Ardakan University,Yazd,Iran

² Department of Counseling, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Ardakan University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

Many factors affect the incidence of domestic violence and its acceptance in women. One of these factors is women's misperception of the power structure in the family. This study aimed to investigate the effect of intervention based on changing perceptions of family power structure on attitudes toward patriarchy and self-compassion in women, victims of domestic violence. The population of the present study included all women victims of domestic violence in Yazd city in 2020. According to the baseline case study design, 2women victims of domestic violence were selected by purposeful sampling method and received 8 sessions interventional protocol based on changing the perception of women who are victims of domestic violence about the family structure. Mohseni Tabrizi Domestic Violence Scale and Self-Compassion Scale were used to collect data during baseline, treatment and follow-up phases. The data were analyzed using visual analysis, improvement percentage and reliable change index. The reliable change index and the trend of changing scores showed that with the continuation of intervention sessions, attitudes toward patriarchy and self-compassion in women had decreased and increased, respectively. changes was maintained after one month follow-up (p<0.05). According to the findings, it can be concluded that the intervention based on changing the perception of family power structure can change the traditional and patriarchal misconceptions of women victims of domestic violence and improve their self-compassion.

Highlights

The results showed that intervention based on changing perceptions of the power structure in the family had a significant effect on attitudes toward patriarchy and this intervention has been able to reduce the patriarchal attitude of women victims of domestic violence. This finding is consistent with the research of Heidarinejad and Navah (2019), who showed that acceptance of male authority has the greatest contribution to the level of violence against women, and with the study of Haj-Yahia (2003) who showed that stereotypes related to male gender roles, negative and traditional attitudes towards women, expectations related to unequal marital roles and family patriarchal beliefs were the most important predictors of beliefs about wife beating. Also, Sayem et al. (2012) showed that even women victims of spousal violence sometimes think that some types of violence by their spouses are normal and justified. For this purpose, in this study, an intervention program based on changing the perceptions of women victims of violence was designed with the aim of informing women about the equal rights of men and women and challenging their wrong patriarchal thoughts and attitudes. For this purpose, in this study, an intervention program based on changing the perceptions of women victims of violence was designed to inform women about the equal rights of men and women and challenge their wrong patriarchal thoughts and attitudes.

We explained to the participants that although most of the women who were victims of violence grew up in a family with a patriarchal culture and when choosing a spouse, they chose unhealthy marital relationships willingly or unwillingly, the responsibility of how to respond to the violence of their husbands is with them. Abused women may feel powerless to change their lifestyle when they are subjected to violence. By changing their beliefs, they will no longer have to accept their husbands' violence. But the results of this study were inconsistent with the findings of Asnet and Permominka (2017). They showed that women who challenge accepted gender norms are likely at risk of domestic violence because they may be punished for not conforming to established behavioral norms.

In addition, in this intervention, women were helped to learn about their rights and duties and not feel weak and self-blaming just because they are women. The women participating in this study came to the belief that they should pay attention to their desires and interests in their married life and value themselves as human beings. But since some women who are victims of domestic violence are financially dependent on their husbands, and because of the economic and social support that they receive from their husbands, they have to endure some violence (Sanawar et al. 2019: 190). This finding was consistent with Madhani et al (2017), which showed that patriarchal attitudes, women's lack of financial independence, and women's dependence on men are effective in the formation of violence against women. Others, however, argue that women's empowerment may increase the risk of male violence, as the woman appears to challenge gender norms and threaten her husband's position of dominance or power (Choi & Ting, 2008). In other words, as women gain economic independence, men who feel their authority is being challenged or undermined may use violence to reassert their control (Abramsky et al. 2019). Therefore, according to Dalal (2011:35), economic empowerment is not the only protective factor; Economic empowerment, combined with higher education and modified cultural norms against women, may protect women from intimate partner violence.

In this study, abused women became aware of the characteristics of an efficient family structure, which includes the equality of power between men and women so that the share of women in the power structure is not less, the existence of hierarchy between family members, and the existence of clear boundaries between individuals and sub-systems; They came to know that the more efficient the family structure is, the fewer conflicts and fights they will witness. Also, this intervention protocol was able to increase self-care and self-compassion by affecting the traditional view of women as victims of violence. In other words, components of self-compassion training protocol were included in this intervention, which could have led to coping with loneliness, distress, and suffering in women. Teaching self-compassion heals negative feelings about oneself and prepares one for a healthy relationship (Karakasidou & Stalikas, 2017: 2206). In the intervention program from the fourth session, in addition to changing women's perception of the power structure in the family and the patriarchal attitude, it tried to work on self-worth and self-kindness in abused women. Also, by teaching women empowerment and self-assertive skills, the goal was to reduce their feelings of shame and helplessness, which was similar to the concepts of self-compassion therapy. Evidence suggests that self-compassion is a combination of self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness that may help victims reduce self-critical thoughts and feelings of isolation, as well as teach them how to cope with difficult experiences to maintain self-balance (Neff, 2003a: 86). Also, Valdez & Lilly (2016) showed that self-compassion could increase people's tolerance to anxiety and also reduce stress and anxiety.

According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that although women in patriarchal societies are exposed to spousal violence more than in other societies, implementing an educational protocol to change women's perception of the power structure in the family, is possible to change their patriarchal attitude and increase self-compassion. However, based on one study alone, such a general conclusion cannot be made and more studies are needed. We suggest that this intervention should not only be available to women but should be taught to other sections of society, especially men, in order to institutionalize the culture of equality and confront gender norms and wrong patriarchal attitudes. It is also suggested to implement this intervention in a group of single girls and even women who are in the stage of divorce and separation with the aim of changing their perception of the power structure in the family and their patriarchal attitude.  Finally, it is suggested to repeat this intervention in future studies with a larger sample size in Yazd city; also considering the cultural differences of each region, it is recommended to conduct a similar study in other cities to increase the validity of the results.

Keywords

• Family Power Structure
• Attitudes toward Patriarchy
• Self-Compassion
• Women Victims of Domestic Violence

20.1001.1.23452692.1401.10.4.5.0

Main Subjects

• Woman and family