Living in Intimate Partner Violence Shelters: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis of Women’s Experiences

Abstract

Abstract Intimate partner violence (IPV) shelters are a critical resource for women experiencing IPV. Shelters can provide survivors a safe location separated from their partners to allow them to seek assistance and make choices about the future of their relationship. IPV shelters have been shown to be effective at giving women the sense of security they need as well as improving the health of women who chose to reside in shelter. Whereas the research on women’s experiences with services in IPV shelters has been extensively explored, little is known about the experiences of women living within the shelter structure and their interactions with the staff. This study utilised a social work-specific qualitative interpretative meta-synthesis approach to analyse nine published qualitative articles to gain a deeper understanding of women’s experiences living in IPV shelters. The findings of this study reveal two central themes: power and control, and safety and security. We discuss the results as valuable insights into service provision for women survivors of IPV living in IPV shelters.