The Process of Posttraumatic Growth in Women Who Have Survived Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

This article aims to explore the process of post-traumatic growth through which female victims survived domestic violence. The study was primarily based on the integration of Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of habitus and gender roles with the research design relying on a grounded theory approach. Data were collected via intensive interviews conducted with 15 women who experienced post-traumatic growth after encountering life-threatening events in domestic violence. Key informants were selected by using a purposive sampling method. Access to them was facilitated by the Friend of Women Foundation. Following the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-SF), the researcher developed a set of criteria for screening the key informants in and out. Open-ended questions were utilized in the interview process. Data were analyzed by using the grounded theory, and the findings presented by the researcher were primarily descriptive.

The findings revealed that the process of post-traumatic growth experienced by female survivors of domestic violence falls into four main dimensions as follows: 1) economic self-reliance; 2) mental self-reliance; 3) social acceptance; and 4) spiritual self-transformation. Emerging bodies of knowledge indicate that growth entails reforming life capital by reconstructing a habitus of servitude and accumulating new capital in order for abused women to emancipate themselves from patriarchy and undergo a transition from victims and survivors to freedom and sustainable life quality.