Experiences of women victims of intimate partner violence in the eastern periphery of Lima: a mixed study

Abstract

Objective: To conduct an in-depth analysis of the experiences of women who were victims of intimate partner violence, identifying patterns of aggression and the emotional, symbolic, and economic control mechanisms exercised by their partners.

Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was applied. Qualitatively, a biographical-narrative and case study design was used, analyzing semi-structured interviews through deductive and inductive coding with Atlas.ti. Quantitatively, a non-experimental design and a validated questionnaire processed through descriptive statistics in SPSS were employed. The study included 15 women over 18 years of age, selected through purposive and snowball sampling.

Results: The narratives revealed that psychological violence constituted the core of the aggression, with partner control (34 references), insults (27), and humiliation (24) emerging as dominant patterns. These forms of abuse intersected with physical violence (hitting, pushing), sexual violence (rape), and economic violence (labor and financial restrictions). Quantitative findings confirmed this tendency: verbal violence reached the highest level (46.7%), followed by coercion (40%). Jealousy, alcohol consumption, and conflictive family backgrounds functioned as structural determinants of the cycle of violence.

Conclusions: Intimate partner violence manifested as a multidimensional system sustained by emotional control and symbolic subordination, from which other forms of aggression emerged. The findings exposed a persistent pattern of vulnerability that underscores the need for comprehensive interventions with psychological, social, and community-based approaches.