1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«To expand our knowledge of this phenomenon, I decided to undertake an exploratory, qualitative study of older women who are victims of psychological violence perpetrated by their husbands. I believed that these women’s perspectives on their experiences would provide a rich understanding of the underlying forms and dynamics of psychological violence by older husbands against their wives.» (p. 7)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«In this study, [15] older women who had experienced psychological violence in their marriages were recruited by practitioners whose practice included domestic violence in older couples.» (p. 8) À noter que les participantes ont été recrutées par le biais de différentes organisations québécoises offrant des services aux personnes âgées.

Instruments :
Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

According to the author, «for the study participants, psychological violence thus manifests through 14 behaviors, throughout which control is at the heart of the process and provides the link between all the other behaviors. Using these means of doing (intimidation, threats, manipulation, harassment, infantilization, deprivation), being (sulking, indifference), and speaking (denigration), husbands are able to exercise control in a recurring manner towards their wives. […] This study enlarges our understanding of psychological violence by showing the importance of its passive forms, not only its active forms. Psychological violence is revealed to be a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon, which may account for the difficulty researchers and practitioners have had in identifying its presence. It is important for practitioners to understand these complexities, in order to better help older women in such situations. […] Finally, the results showed that older husbands exercised psychological violence over a long period of time, usually since the start of their marriages. This finding argues for the importance of early intervention with youth, to help them develop the attitudes and behaviors that will prevent violence.» (p. 18-19)