Love in the Face of Violence: Understanding the Motivations for Remaining in Union and Coping Strategies Adopted by Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Eswatini.

Thembie Matsenjwa , University Of Eswatini
Dr Garikayi Chemhaka , Lecturer
Emmanuel Olamijuwon, University of St Andrews

Intimate partner violence (IPV) presents a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa and globally because it affects a significant proportion of women. Although IPV has diverse implications for the health and wellbeing of women, women are remaining in these violent relationships. This study aims to explore why married women in Eswatini are remaining in union in the face of physical or sexual abuse using a descriptive qualitative study design that is currently ongoing. Semi-structured interviews are being conducted with a purposive sample of 53 married women who reported to have experienced some form of sexual or physical abuse in their union. Our preliminary analysis suggests that three-quarters of the women reported to have thought of ending their union as a result of abuse. Since this study is ongoing, we anticipate that findings from the qualitative interviews will provider richer explanation for the motivation for which women are remaining in abusive relations.

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 Presented in Session P1. Poster Session Fertility, Family and the Life Course