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Towards understanding the Nordic Paradox: a review of qualitative interview studies on intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) in Sweden

Wemrell, Maria LU orcid ; Stjernlöf, Sara LU ; Aenishänslin, Justine LU ; Lila, Marisol ; Gracia, Enrique LU and Ivert, Anna-Karin LU (2019) In Sociology Compass 13(6).
Abstract
Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a major public health problem in countries around the world, including the Nordic region. Contrary to what would be expected, as the Nordic countries are rated among the most gender equal in the world, survey data suggests that the lifetime prevalence rates of IPVAW in Sweden and neighboring Nordic countries are among the highest in the EU. This phenomenon, which has been termed the Nordic paradox, requires elucidation. The aim of this review is to explore what previous qualitative studies, based on interviews with or field observations of victims, perpetrators, or professionals working in the area, primarily in Sweden, have to teach us about the nature of this paradox. Three interrelated... (More)
Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a major public health problem in countries around the world, including the Nordic region. Contrary to what would be expected, as the Nordic countries are rated among the most gender equal in the world, survey data suggests that the lifetime prevalence rates of IPVAW in Sweden and neighboring Nordic countries are among the highest in the EU. This phenomenon, which has been termed the Nordic paradox, requires elucidation. The aim of this review is to explore what previous qualitative studies, based on interviews with or field observations of victims, perpetrators, or professionals working in the area, primarily in Sweden, have to teach us about the nature of this paradox. Three interrelated themes are discussed. The first is how gender equality is perceived and addressed as linked, or not, to IPVAW in Swedish research and practice. The second is how violence tends to be othered, for example, through assumptions that violence is perpetrated by foreign rather than Swedish men. The third is how causal mechanisms of IPVAW have been described, typically with reference to norms and dynamics of masculinity, femininity, and heterosexual interaction. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Sociology Compass
volume
13
issue
6
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85064924766
ISSN
1751-9020
DOI
10.1111/soc4.12699
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
30d46855-1a9c-4c2a-9f4f-9c8ff1a874b3
date added to LUP
2019-04-10 09:26:06
date last changed
2022-04-25 22:24:48
@article{30d46855-1a9c-4c2a-9f4f-9c8ff1a874b3,
  abstract     = {{Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a major public health problem in countries around the world, including the Nordic region. Contrary to what would be expected, as the Nordic countries are rated among the most gender equal in the world, survey data suggests that the lifetime prevalence rates of IPVAW in Sweden and neighboring Nordic countries are among the highest in the EU. This phenomenon, which has been termed the Nordic paradox, requires elucidation. The aim of this review is to explore what previous qualitative studies, based on interviews with or field observations of victims, perpetrators, or professionals working in the area, primarily in Sweden, have to teach us about the nature of this paradox. Three interrelated themes are discussed. The first is how gender equality is perceived and addressed as linked, or not, to IPVAW in Swedish research and practice. The second is how violence tends to be othered, for example, through assumptions that violence is perpetrated by foreign rather than Swedish men. The third is how causal mechanisms of IPVAW have been described, typically with reference to norms and dynamics of masculinity, femininity, and heterosexual interaction.}},
  author       = {{Wemrell, Maria and Stjernlöf, Sara and Aenishänslin, Justine and Lila, Marisol and Gracia, Enrique and Ivert, Anna-Karin}},
  issn         = {{1751-9020}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{6}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Sociology Compass}},
  title        = {{Towards understanding the Nordic Paradox: a review of qualitative interview studies on intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12699}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/soc4.12699}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}