An investigation into female survivors’ experiences of intimate partner violence and access to justice in Uganda : a case of intimate relationships involving male police officers

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating female survivors ‘experiences of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and access to Justice, with a focus on relationships involving male police officers. In order to understand the complexity of IPV against women, the study employed an integrated ecological framework because it provided a nuanced conceptualization of IPV at different levels and why it happened. The study also employed the intersectionality theory that helped the researcher to explore and understand women‘s varied experiences of IPV and access to justice. Rational choice exchange theory was also used to help the researcher understand the intricacies surrounding officers ‘choice to perpetrate or not to perpetrate IPV and women‘s choice to report or not to report IPV. Methodologically, the researcher used case study design in which an in-depth analysis of female survivors ‘experiences of IPV and access to justice were developed. The study was qualitative and it involved twenty in-depth interviews with female survivors of IPV and six male spouses. In addition, seventeen key informant interviews were conducted and six focus group discussions were administered. The study findings indicate that female survivors of IPV experienced economic sexual, physical and psychological violence. Factors leading to IPV included: institutional, economic, social, cultural and individual factors. Factors affecting women‘s access to justice were Technical, physical and financial. Women employed coping mechanisms including marriage preservation, self-preservation, and child protection mechanisms. This thesis argues that the arm of the law is too short to reach civilian female survivors of officer perpetrated IPV because the abusers are at the same time the vehicles through which justice is supposed to be delivered and they know the system and how to escape the hand of the law. The study concludes that police operations results into work spillovers that trigger IPV against women. These spillovers are evident in police transfers, daily deployments, outposts, and work related stress. Inadequate housing and alcoholism have created tensions and serious damage to police families. The study recommends that police management should construct more houses for police officers, include a module on gender based violence in police training syllabus, organize sensitization programs for officers and spouses about IPV, and adopt use of malt-professional teams to handle IPV cases in order to improve women‘s access to justice and also offer varied services that are critically needed by female survivors of IPV