Search

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

This thesis discusses the role of women’s separatism in the organisations of women’s shelters in relation to inclusion of LGBTQ victims of domestic violence. The background for this study is prior studies that show a common occurrence of domestic violence in LGBTQ relationships, as well as a shortage of shelters to turn to, especially for people who doesn’t identify as women. From a queer feminist theoretical framework this thesis discusses women’s shelters in terms of strategic essentialism, heterosexual matrix, and intersectionality. Through qualitative interviews with four women’s shelters following questions is answered: “How does the organisations work with women’s separatism and how is this related to a form of strategic essentialism?” “How does this way of working affect the inclusion of LGBTQ people?” and “Is an inclusive way of working with domestic violence compatible with the broader work against men’s violence against women?” The results show how women’s separatism is fundamental for the structure of the women’s shelters and is an important aspect of the work that the shelters do in the struggle against men’s structural violence against women, but in the practice, it also contributes to the exclusion of LGBTQ people.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.

The increase in private shelters for women escaping men’s violence in Sweden prompts an analysis of discursive struggles on separatism, violence, and safety. The analysis of websites and interviews with representatives from private shelters and women’s shelters show that the woman-to-woman approach is important for women’s shelters whereas private shelters frame their use of male staff as a practical necessity or a way to show women that there also exist ‘good’ men. Women’s shelters articulate the importance of knowledge about men’s violence for counteracting normalization of violence and self-blame, while private shelters emphasize therapeutic knowledge and interventions. To provide safety, women’s shelters articulate the importance of a homey atmosphere and ‘inner safety’, where private shelters emphasize security; shell protection, perpetrator profiles, and risk assessments. The women’s shelters position their work within a discourse of social change, whereas private shelters emphasize their lack of political ambitions, with profit-making as their primary motivation. Should public funding continue to be funnelled to private shelters, rather than to women’s shelters, it will undermine women’s shelter’s dual role of providing refuge and contributing to social change. Should the private shelters discourse prevail it will likely alter the support provided to victims of violence.

As the number of cases of the COVID-19 virus spread across the world in the beginning of 2020, governments decided to take measures to stop the spread of the virus. These measures limited individual’s freedom of movement and soon thereafter, the number of domestic violence cases increased. While the increase in domestic violence has almost interchangeably been linked to the enforcement of lockdowns, statistics have indicated an increase in domestic violence in Sweden as well whereas they never enforced any lockdowns. The aim of this thesis is thus to explore this issue further by interviewing staff at women’s shelters and support services in Sweden to examine how they perceive how the pandemic has impacted the situation of men’s violence against women (as most cases of domestic violence is a matter of a man abusing a woman), their organizations, and their relationship with the women. The theoretical lens of shared trauma has been used to explore how the relationship between the organizations and the women have been affected as they navigate through the shared traumatic reality of the pandemic. The analytical tool used in this study is by a thematic analysis, whereas 7 themes were located: (1) Change in the level of support, (2) Change in the level of violence, (3) The role of the media and public perception, (4) Economic uncertainty and vulnerability, (5) Governmental directives, (6) Sharing a traumatic experience, and (7) Posttraumatic growth. The study concludes that the pandemic has impacted the women’s shelters and support services in this study quite a lot, both in negative and positive terms. Whilst the study indicates an increased level of men’s violence against women, the organizations have on the other hand been forced by the pandemic to develop their organizational structure to reach the women who have been isolated in their homes, and thus improved a lot of tools to support these women in the future.

I denna studie har vi undersökt husdjurens roll och påverkan på våldsutsattas uppbrott från relationer där det förekommit våld. Vi har genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med personal på skyddade boenden och kvinnojourer tagit del av vad de har för kunskap, erfarenhet och egna resonemang kring mäns våld mot kvinnor och barn samt uppbrottsprocessen där det finns husdjur med i bilden. Genom en tematisk analys tog vi oss närmare respondenternas arbetssätt, personliga- och organisatoriska förutsättningar samt utmaningar i arbetet med våldsutsatta och deras husdjur. Resultatet visar på en varierande kunskapsnivå och syn på husdjurens betydelse. Det vi kan se i studien är att husdjuren inte är uteslutna från våld i hemmet och våldet är både ett straffrättsligt lindrigt och ett känslomässigt effektivt sätt att skada även de tvåbenta i hushållet. Husdjuren kan vara en starkt kvarhållande faktor och möjligheten att rädda husdjuren från våldsutövaren kan vara en fråga om liv och död för husdjuren. För människorna som ändå lyckas lämna utan att ta med sig djuret kan det innebära stora trauman, känslor av skuld och skam samt en risk att hon till slut väljer att gå tillbaka till förövaren.Vi har tagit del av respondenternas tankar och förslag på framtida lösningar och önskemål. Studien visar att problemet med djurens utsatthet i våldsamma relationer är något som på flera sätt ingår i ett aktivt förändringsarbete på flera boenden just nu och med hjälp av kunskap och förståelse går det att rädda liv., In this study we have examined the role and effect that pets have on victims of violence’s process of separation from relationships where violence exists. With semi-structured interviews with the staff from shelters and women’s shelters, we learnt more about their experience, knowledge, and reasoning around the violence in relationships and breakups where pets are present. Through a thematic analysis we have approached the respondents’ work procedures, organizational- and personal conditions as well as challenges in the work with victims of violence and their pets. The results show a varying knowledge level and view of the importance of pets. The study shows that the animals are not excluded from the domestic violence and that the violence is both punitively cheap but also an emotionally effective way to also harm the two-legged in the household. The animals can be a strong detaining factor and the opportunity of saving the animals from the perpetrator can be a matter of life and death for the animal. For the people that still manage to leave without bringing the animal with them it can amount to large trauma, feelings of guilt and shame, and that she in the end chooses to go back. We also got to take part of the respondents' thoughts and suggestions for future solutions and wishes. The study also shows that the problem with vulnerability of animals is something that in many ways is part of an active work for change in several shelters at this moment and that with the help of knowledge and understanding it is possible to save lives.

As the number of cases of the COVID-19 virus spread across the world in the beginning of 2020, governments decided to take measures to stop the spread of the virus. These measures limited individual’s freedom of movement and soon thereafter, the number of domestic violence cases increased. While the increase in domestic violence has almost interchangeably been linked to the enforcement of lockdowns, statistics have indicated an increase in domestic violence in Sweden as well whereas they never enforced any lockdowns. The aim of this thesis is thus to explore this issue further by interviewing staff at women’s shelters and support services in Sweden to examine how they perceive how the pandemic has impacted the situation of men’s violence against women (as most cases of domestic violence is a matter of a man abusing a woman), their organizations, and their relationship with the women. The theoretical lens of shared trauma has been used to explore how the relationship between the organizations and the women have been affected as they navigate through the shared traumatic reality of the pandemic. The analytical tool used in this study is by a thematic analysis, whereas 7 themes were located: (1) Change in the level of support, (2) Change in the level of violence, (3) The role of the media and public perception, (4) Economic uncertainty and vulnerability, (5) Governmental directives, (6) Sharing a traumatic experience, and (7) Posttraumatic growth. The study concludes that the pandemic has impacted the women’s shelters and support services in this study quite a lot, both in negative and positive terms. Whilst the study indicates an increased level of men’s violence against women, the organizations have on the other hand been forced by the pandemic to develop their organizational structure to reach the women who have been isolated in their homes, and thus improved a lot of tools to support these women in the future.

I denna studie har vi undersökt husdjurens roll och påverkan på våldsutsattas uppbrott från relationer där det förekommit våld. Vi har genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med personal på skyddade boenden och kvinnojourer tagit del av vad de har för kunskap, erfarenhet och egna resonemang kring mäns våld mot kvinnor och barn samt uppbrottsprocessen där det finns husdjur med i bilden. Genom en tematisk analys tog vi oss närmare respondenternas arbetssätt, personliga- och organisatoriska förutsättningar samt utmaningar i arbetet med våldsutsatta och deras husdjur. Resultatet visar på en varierande kunskapsnivå och syn på husdjurens betydelse. Det vi kan se i studien är att husdjuren inte är uteslutna från våld i hemmet och våldet är både ett straffrättsligt lindrigt och ett känslomässigt effektivt sätt att skada även de tvåbenta i hushållet. Husdjuren kan vara en starkt kvarhållande faktor och möjligheten att rädda husdjuren från våldsutövaren kan vara en fråga om liv och död för husdjuren. För människorna som ändå lyckas lämna utan att ta med sig djuret kan det innebära stora trauman, känslor av skuld och skam samt en risk att hon till slut väljer att gå tillbaka till förövaren.Vi har tagit del av respondenternas tankar och förslag på framtida lösningar och önskemål. Studien visar att problemet med djurens utsatthet i våldsamma relationer är något som på flera sätt ingår i ett aktivt förändringsarbete på flera boenden just nu och med hjälp av kunskap och förståelse går det att rädda liv., In this study we have examined the role and effect that pets have on victims of violence’s process of separation from relationships where violence exists. With semi-structured interviews with the staff from shelters and women’s shelters, we learnt more about their experience, knowledge, and reasoning around the violence in relationships and breakups where pets are present. Through a thematic analysis we have approached the respondents’ work procedures, organizational- and personal conditions as well as challenges in the work with victims of violence and their pets. The results show a varying knowledge level and view of the importance of pets. The study shows that the animals are not excluded from the domestic violence and that the violence is both punitively cheap but also an emotionally effective way to also harm the two-legged in the household. The animals can be a strong detaining factor and the opportunity of saving the animals from the perpetrator can be a matter of life and death for the animal. For the people that still manage to leave without bringing the animal with them it can amount to large trauma, feelings of guilt and shame, and that she in the end chooses to go back. We also got to take part of the respondents' thoughts and suggestions for future solutions and wishes. The study also shows that the problem with vulnerability of animals is something that in many ways is part of an active work for change in several shelters at this moment and that with the help of knowledge and understanding it is possible to save lives.

Women accessing domestic violence shelter services may have mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) which require front-line workers to adapt their assistance given these women may be suffering from many debilitating psychological symptoms. However, there is scarce evidence-based informative material for DV workers about the signs of an mTBI. To that end, a comprehensive review of the research and literature on mTBI outcomes was completed resulting in the applied element of this being twofold: (a) a list of three practical and screenings considerations for shelter supervisors to use as learning objectives to review with their staff and, (b) a manuscript for publication in a Canadian peer-reviewed journal that integrates research into practice, by consolidating research in this area into three up-to-date recommendations for DV front-line workers with no specialization in brain injuries, to refer to when working with individuals showing signs of mTBI.

Women accessing domestic violence shelter services may have mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) which require front-line workers to adapt their assistance given these women may be suffering from many debilitating psychological symptoms. However, there is scarce evidence-based informative material for DV workers about the signs of an mTBI. To that end, a comprehensive review of the research and literature on mTBI outcomes was completed resulting in the applied element of this being twofold: (a) a list of three practical and screenings considerations for shelter supervisors to use as learning objectives to review with their staff and, (b) a manuscript for publication in a Canadian peer-reviewed journal that integrates research into practice, by consolidating research in this area into three up-to-date recommendations for DV front-line workers with no specialization in brain injuries, to refer to when working with individuals showing signs of mTBI.

"Crisàlide" és un servei d’emergència substitutori de la llar per a dones víctimes de violència masclista. L’edifici es situa al recinte industrial de Can Ricart, al barri del Poblenou a Barcelona. Aquest servei dóna assistència a la dona quan la seva casa ja no és un lloc segur i ha de fugir. Es tracta d’un servei especialitzat, residencial i temporal (estada entre sis mesos i un any), que ofereix acolliment i atenció integral (psicològica, jurídica i social). En definitiva un espai que permet la recuperació i reparació de les dones i les seves filles i fills dependents. El projecte estudia com l’arquitectura pot acompanyar i contribuir a la millora de situacions anímiques delicades, com en la que es troben les usuàries. Qüestions com la privacitat, la seguretat, les relacions entre espais i les cures apareixen a l’inici de l’ordre de prioritats del projecte amb la voluntat de fer d’aquest el millor lloc possible per a recuperar-se d’una situació tan dura com la que s’exposa., "Crisàlide" es un servicio de emergencia sustitutorio del hogar para mujeres víctimas de violencia machista. El edificio se sitúa en el recinto industrial de Can Ricart, en el barrio de Poblenou en Barcelona. Este servicio da asistencia a la mujer cuando su casa ya no es un lugar seguro y ha de huir. Se trata de un servicio especializado, residencial y temporal (estancia entre seis meses y un año), que ofrece acogida y atención integral (psicológica, jurídica y social). En definitiva un espacio que permite la recuperación y reparación de las mujeres y sus hijas e hijos dependientes. El proyecto estudia cómo la arquitectura puede acompañar y contribuir a la mejora de situaciones anímicas delicadas, como en la que se encuentran las usuarias. Cuestiones como la privacidad, la seguridad, los relaciones entre espacios y los cuidados aparecen en primer lugar en el orden de prioridades del proyecto con la voluntad de hacer de este el mejor sitio posible para recuperarse de una situación tan dura como la que se expone., "Crisàlide" is an emergency shelter service for women victims of gender violence. The building is located in the industrial area of Can Ricart, in the district of Poblenou in Barcelona. This service provides assistance to women when their home is no longer a safe place and they have to leave. It is a specialised, residential and temporary service (stay between six months and one year), which offers shelter and comprehensive care (psychological, legal and social). In other words, it is a space that allows for the recovery and reparation of women and their dependent children. The project studies how architecture can support and contribute to the improvement of delicate emotional situations, such as the one in which the users find themselves. Issues such as privacy, security, relations between spaces and care appear in first place in the project's order of priorities with the aim of making it the best place to recover from a situation as difficult as the one described., Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::5 - Igualtat de Gènere

Women accessing domestic violence shelter services may have mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) which require front-line workers to adapt their assistance given these women may be suffering from many debilitating psychological symptoms. However, there is scarce evidence-based informative material for DV workers about the signs of an mTBI. To that end, a comprehensive review of the research and literature on mTBI outcomes was completed resulting in the applied element of this being twofold: (a) a list of three practical and screenings considerations for shelter supervisors to use as learning objectives to review with their staff and, (b) a manuscript for publication in a Canadian peer-reviewed journal that integrates research into practice, by consolidating research in this area into three up-to-date recommendations for DV front-line workers with no specialization in brain injuries, to refer to when working with individuals showing signs of mTBI.

Women accessing domestic violence shelter services may have mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) which require front-line workers to adapt their assistance given these women may be suffering from many debilitating psychological symptoms. However, there is scarce evidence-based informative material for DV workers about the signs of an mTBI. To that end, a comprehensive review of the research and literature on mTBI outcomes was completed resulting in the applied element of this being twofold: (a) a list of three practical and screenings considerations for shelter supervisors to use as learning objectives to review with their staff and, (b) a manuscript for publication in a Canadian peer-reviewed journal that integrates research into practice, by consolidating research in this area into three up-to-date recommendations for DV front-line workers with no specialization in brain injuries, to refer to when working with individuals showing signs of mTBI.

Mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relation är ett stort samhällsproblem. Ett resultat av den fortskridande coronapandemin, och dess restriktioner som innebär individuella rörelsebegränsningar, är att kriminologer befarar en ökning av våld i nära relation i Sverige. Föreliggande studie syftar till att undersöka huruvida pandemin har resulterat i en förändring av antalet kvinnor som söker hjälp hos svenska kvinnojourer under våren 2020 och möjliga förklaringar till detta fenomen. Därigenom undersökning utforskades och konceptualiserades våld i nära relation i förhållande till coronakrisen. I förfarandet av studien användes en mixad design för att få en djupare och vidare förståelse för ämnet. Med en kvantitativ enkät kartlades nationellt huruvida 93 kvinnojourer runt om i Sverige uppfattar en eventuell förändring. Genom sex kvalitativa intervjuer återgav representanter för svenska kvinnojourer sina upplevelser. Resultatet visar på varierande uppfattningar om det har skett en förändring på belastningen sedan coronautbrottet i Sverige. Däremot delar alla informanter uppfattningen om att det faktiska relationsvåldet har ökat under krisen. Informanternas förklaringar till denna utveckling grundas i ett strukturellt perspektiv, men kopplas även till individuella faktorer som kan förstärkas under krisen och öka risken för våld i nära relation., Intimate partner violence is a major issue in our society. As a result of the emerging Corona Virus Pandemic, and the restrictions this has placed upon individual mobility, criminologists have come to fear that the pandemic has caused an increase in violence against women in the Swedish society. The following study seeks to investigate whether the pandemic has led to changing numbers of women entering women’s shelters in the spring of 2020 and possible explanations of this phenomena. In doing so, the main objective is to evaluate and conceptualise intimate partner violence in relation to the crisis. In order to fully grasp both the width and depth of this issue, the preferable method of choice was a mixed design. To quantify the national perception, 93 respondents from different women’s shelters were surveyed. In addition, six qualitative interviews with various women’s shelters representatives were conducted. The result shows varying understandings whether the numbers of women seeking help has changed since the outbreak of the Corona Virus in Sweden. However, all of the informants share a strong belief that intimate partner violence has increased during the pandemic. The informants’ explanations for this development derives from a structural theoretical standpoint, while also pointing to individual factors that may be enhanced during the crisis and increase the risk of intimate partner violence.

Kvinnojourer i Sverige utför varje dag ett viktigt arbete med att hjälpa våldsutsatta kvinnor. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka de som arbetar på kvinnojourers erfarenheter kring våldsutsatta kvinnors uppbrottsprocesser och om dessa erfarenheter har ändrat deras arbetssätt med att hjälpa andra våldsutsatta kvinnor. Två frågeställningar användes för att besvara syftet där den första berörde kvinnors uppbrottsprocesser och den andra jourernas arbete. Utförandet av studien underbyggs av att det råder en kunskapslucka kring just detta område. I studien genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med nio anställda på olika kvinnojourer i Sverige. En tematisk analys gjordes för att analysera den insamlade datan, för att sedan identifiera kodord som bildades till teman. Åtta teman bildades; omgivning, stöd, kunskap, yttre faktorer, kvinnan, kunskap, support och individuella faktorer. Resultatet visade att enligt kvinnojourerna är det individuellt varför en kvinna lämnar en våldsam relation men de främsta orsakerna är när barn eller omgivning drabbas, att våldet eskalerar eller att kvinnan helt enkelt fått nog. De ansåg även att erfarenheter och kunskap kring kvinnors uppbrottsprocesser har en inverkan på hur de arbetar med andra utsatta kvinnor., Women's shelters in Sweden perform every day an important job of helping abused women. This study aims to examine those who work at women's shelters and their experiences on abused women's leaving processes. Also if these experiences has changed their way of working with helping other abused women. Two questions were used to achieve the purpose. The first question is about women’s leaving processes and the second is about the shelters work. The execution of the study is supported by the fact that there is a knowledge gap in this area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine employees at various women's shelters in sweden. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the collected data, and then to identify codewords formed into themes. Eight themes were found; environment, support, knowledge, external factors, the woman, knowledge, support and individual factors. The results showed that according to the women's shelters, it's individual why a woman leaves a violent relationship but the main reasons are when children or the environment is affected, that the violence escalates or that the woman has had enough. They also felt that experiences and knowledge about women's leaving processes have an impact on their work with other abused women.

"Is it the children's right to their parents or is it the parents right to their children?" : A qualitative interview study about social worker's description about "visitation sabotage" in cases involving intimate partner violence The aim of this study was to understand how social workers at women’s shelters describe “visitation sabotage”, to be accused or risk being accused of it, and the consequences for social work, abused mothers and their children. The study was based on seven semi-structured qualitative interviews with social workers. The analysis was based on the theories of social constructivism, power, discourses and gender power. The study found that social workers describe “visitation sabotage” as the situation when mothers are accused of sabotaging children’s visitation with their father. However, the social workers describe that “visitation sabotage” is not applicable in cases involving intimate partner violence. The social workers describe that “visitation sabotage” leads to a professional dilemma; how they want to work does not correspond with how they have to work according to laws related to “visitation sabotage”. According to the social workers, some effects for mothers of being accused or risk being accused of “visitation sabotage”, is that fathers can continue to practice control and power against mothers, that mothers are afraid of being accused which in turn can lead to a lack of trust in authorities. Lastly, the main effect for children of their mothers being accused or risk being accused of “visitation sabotage”, is described as the need for children to have visitation with their violent father. When children have visitation with their violent father, to prevent the mother of being accused of “visitation sabotage”, the social workers describe that the children’s own will is being overlooked, that children take responsibility regarding the visitation and that they can experience unsafety and fear.

"Is it the children's right to their parents or is it the parents right to their children?" : A qualitative interview study about social worker's description about "visitation sabotage" in cases involving intimate partner violence The aim of this study was to understand how social workers at women’s shelters describe “visitation sabotage”, to be accused or risk being accused of it, and the consequences for social work, abused mothers and their children. The study was based on seven semi-structured qualitative interviews with social workers. The analysis was based on the theories of social constructivism, power, discourses and gender power. The study found that social workers describe “visitation sabotage” as the situation when mothers are accused of sabotaging children’s visitation with their father. However, the social workers describe that “visitation sabotage” is not applicable in cases involving intimate partner violence. The social workers describe that “visitation sabotage” leads to a professional dilemma; how they want to work does not correspond with how they have to work according to laws related to “visitation sabotage”. According to the social workers, some effects for mothers of being accused or risk being accused of “visitation sabotage”, is that fathers can continue to practice control and power against mothers, that mothers are afraid of being accused which in turn can lead to a lack of trust in authorities. Lastly, the main effect for children of their mothers being accused or risk being accused of “visitation sabotage”, is described as the need for children to have visitation with their violent father. When children have visitation with their violent father, to prevent the mother of being accused of “visitation sabotage”, the social workers describe that the children’s own will is being overlooked, that children take responsibility regarding the visitation and that they can experience unsafety and fear.

Mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relation är ett stort samhällsproblem. Ett resultat av den fortskridande coronapandemin, och dess restriktioner som innebär individuella rörelsebegränsningar, är att kriminologer befarar en ökning av våld i nära relation i Sverige. Föreliggande studie syftar till att undersöka huruvida pandemin har resulterat i en förändring av antalet kvinnor som söker hjälp hos svenska kvinnojourer under våren 2020 och möjliga förklaringar till detta fenomen. Därigenom undersökning utforskades och konceptualiserades våld i nära relation i förhållande till coronakrisen. I förfarandet av studien användes en mixad design för att få en djupare och vidare förståelse för ämnet. Med en kvantitativ enkät kartlades nationellt huruvida 93 kvinnojourer runt om i Sverige uppfattar en eventuell förändring. Genom sex kvalitativa intervjuer återgav representanter för svenska kvinnojourer sina upplevelser. Resultatet visar på varierande uppfattningar om det har skett en förändring på belastningen sedan coronautbrottet i Sverige. Däremot delar alla informanter uppfattningen om att det faktiska relationsvåldet har ökat under krisen. Informanternas förklaringar till denna utveckling grundas i ett strukturellt perspektiv, men kopplas även till individuella faktorer som kan förstärkas under krisen och öka risken för våld i nära relation., Intimate partner violence is a major issue in our society. As a result of the emerging Corona Virus Pandemic, and the restrictions this has placed upon individual mobility, criminologists have come to fear that the pandemic has caused an increase in violence against women in the Swedish society. The following study seeks to investigate whether the pandemic has led to changing numbers of women entering women’s shelters in the spring of 2020 and possible explanations of this phenomena. In doing so, the main objective is to evaluate and conceptualise intimate partner violence in relation to the crisis. In order to fully grasp both the width and depth of this issue, the preferable method of choice was a mixed design. To quantify the national perception, 93 respondents from different women’s shelters were surveyed. In addition, six qualitative interviews with various women’s shelters representatives were conducted. The result shows varying understandings whether the numbers of women seeking help has changed since the outbreak of the Corona Virus in Sweden. However, all of the informants share a strong belief that intimate partner violence has increased during the pandemic. The informants’ explanations for this development derives from a structural theoretical standpoint, while also pointing to individual factors that may be enhanced during the crisis and increase the risk of intimate partner violence.

Kvinnojourer i Sverige utför varje dag ett viktigt arbete med att hjälpa våldsutsatta kvinnor. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka de som arbetar på kvinnojourers erfarenheter kring våldsutsatta kvinnors uppbrottsprocesser och om dessa erfarenheter har ändrat deras arbetssätt med att hjälpa andra våldsutsatta kvinnor. Två frågeställningar användes för att besvara syftet där den första berörde kvinnors uppbrottsprocesser och den andra jourernas arbete. Utförandet av studien underbyggs av att det råder en kunskapslucka kring just detta område. I studien genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med nio anställda på olika kvinnojourer i Sverige. En tematisk analys gjordes för att analysera den insamlade datan, för att sedan identifiera kodord som bildades till teman. Åtta teman bildades; omgivning, stöd, kunskap, yttre faktorer, kvinnan, kunskap, support och individuella faktorer. Resultatet visade att enligt kvinnojourerna är det individuellt varför en kvinna lämnar en våldsam relation men de främsta orsakerna är när barn eller omgivning drabbas, att våldet eskalerar eller att kvinnan helt enkelt fått nog. De ansåg även att erfarenheter och kunskap kring kvinnors uppbrottsprocesser har en inverkan på hur de arbetar med andra utsatta kvinnor., Women's shelters in Sweden perform every day an important job of helping abused women. This study aims to examine those who work at women's shelters and their experiences on abused women's leaving processes. Also if these experiences has changed their way of working with helping other abused women. Two questions were used to achieve the purpose. The first question is about women’s leaving processes and the second is about the shelters work. The execution of the study is supported by the fact that there is a knowledge gap in this area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine employees at various women's shelters in sweden. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the collected data, and then to identify codewords formed into themes. Eight themes were found; environment, support, knowledge, external factors, the woman, knowledge, support and individual factors. The results showed that according to the women's shelters, it's individual why a woman leaves a violent relationship but the main reasons are when children or the environment is affected, that the violence escalates or that the woman has had enough. They also felt that experiences and knowledge about women's leaving processes have an impact on their work with other abused women.

In terms of women’s shelters, Turkey sets a unique example due to the fact that the shelters are mainly established and run by public actors, whereas in other countries these institutions are mainly run by NGOs while funded by public authorities. By looking at the relation between the feminist movement and the public authorities from 1990s onwards, this paper argues that in the case of the public women’s shelters, the engagement of non-public actors in the policy making processes did not result in the retreat, but in the perpetuation of the state’s presence.

The aim of this qualitative study was to examine how four different women’s shelters talk about what happens to a woman after she has left a relationship where there has been domestic abuse. This was achieved by taking part of the different women’s shelters narratives on domestic abuse and their work through semi- structured interviews. This study focuses on how the different women’s shelters talk about possible difficulties the women can encounter when they leave from a constructivist point of view. This study found that women has to go through a process of change to be able to withstand their new social situation and the difficulties that follow. Such difficulties can be financial problems, housing problems, isolation or having to continue to deal with the former partner. Therefore, the women’s shelters talk about the importance of support and developing copingstrategies for the women to be able to handle their new situation and contradicting feelings.

The aim of this qualitative study was to examine how four different women’s shelters talk about what happens to a woman after she has left a relationship where there has been domestic abuse. This was achieved by taking part of the different women’s shelters narratives on domestic abuse and their work through semi- structured interviews. This study focuses on how the different women’s shelters talk about possible difficulties the women can encounter when they leave from a constructivist point of view. This study found that women has to go through a process of change to be able to withstand their new social situation and the difficulties that follow. Such difficulties can be financial problems, housing problems, isolation or having to continue to deal with the former partner. Therefore, the women’s shelters talk about the importance of support and developing copingstrategies for the women to be able to handle their new situation and contradicting feelings.

The aim of this study was to examine social workers and staff at women’s shelters experience of how the responsibility for abused women is distributed between them through collaboration. The study relies on eight qualitative, semi structured interviews with professionals, whom play a significant role in supporting abused woman, in two different municipalities in southern Sweden. In order to analyze our collected empirical data we used new institutional theory and concepts associated to the theoretical frame. The main results of this study showed that both social workers and staff at women’s shelters are unanimous of the fact that the social services is ultimately responsible for supporting abused women and that collaboration is evident when it comes to women’s need for sheltered housing. Although the social services have a statutory claim to assure that abused women receive the help and support they are in need of women’s shelters’ role as public welfare service providers seem to have increased.

Intimate Partner Violence is a pervasive and insidious epidemic within Aōtearoa New Zealand with one in three women experiencing psychological or physical abuse by their partners in a lifetime. The National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges (NCIWR) seeks to prevent and eliminate violence and in doing so liberate women abused by their partners. This research is a contribution to the gap in psychological research which calls upon the expertise of refuge advocates from a feminist standpoint and additionally adds to valuable production of knowledge from a New Zealand context. The aim was to explore how advocates perceive and understand mothering and maternal protection in the context of intimate partner violence and moreover how advocates’ understandings impact their experience of client protection. A qualitative, thematic approach opened a space for advocates to voice their experiences and importantly challenge the socio-political landscape which maintains a focus on women’s responsibility as protectors, opposed to perpetrator accountability. Societal expectation of mothering does not take into account the context of intimate partner violence and as mothers fail to meet expectations, notions of mother-blame are ascertained. The analysis identified three major themes: The first theme concerns the severity of perpetrator harm and the direct interruption intimate partner violence has on mothering; shaping and complicating mothering. The second theme identifies a multitude of factors mothers juggle to protect their children within the context of intimate partner violence. The final theme involves understanding the mode of survival in which women come to live, how women navigate fundamental support systems, and finally how the role of the advocate is pivotal for the safety of women and children. Overall, findings showed an alignment between the expertise of advocates and existing international research.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, transformation in thinking about and acting to prevent domestic violence is exigent. Response-Based Practice (RBP) provides a transformational framework for ethical social responses for families experiencing violence. RBP attends to ways discursive practices undermine or support victim safety and dignity. The current research involved developing, delivering, and evaluating a RBP group intervention at Women's Refuge. Evaluation privileged women's accounts of the intervention and entailed comparing discourses clients utilised to inform their understandings of violence and position themselves before and after Group participation. Implications of clients' positioning for enabling or constraining their safety and dignity are also considered. The project's design used feminist collaborative action research principles, and thematic analysis in the first study to develop the intervention. Five advocates were engaged in meetings, semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and focus groups. The second study used discourse analysis of women's pre- and post- intervention accounts of their domestic violence experiences and social responses to them. Four clients engaged in semi-structured interviews. Before Group participation, discourses that minimised and mutualised violence predominated, positioning victims as instrumental in provoking and preventing violence, and victims and perpetrators as pathological. Languaging often represented perpetrators' violence as accidental/uncontrollable and concealed victim resistance. Narratives engaged traditional gender discourses of men's dominance, encompassing coercive control and violence, and women's submission and self-sacrifice, as normative. Women's entrapment by victim-blaming discourses alongside threats of poverty and condemnation from perpetrators, families, church and social agencies was evident. Following Group participation, resistance discourses prevailed. Clients challenged their positioning as pat

The aim of this study was to examine social workers and staff at women’s shelters experience of how the responsibility for abused women is distributed between them through collaboration. The study relies on eight qualitative, semi structured interviews with professionals, whom play a significant role in supporting abused woman, in two different municipalities in southern Sweden. In order to analyze our collected empirical data we used new institutional theory and concepts associated to the theoretical frame. The main results of this study showed that both social workers and staff at women’s shelters are unanimous of the fact that the social services is ultimately responsible for supporting abused women and that collaboration is evident when it comes to women’s need for sheltered housing. Although the social services have a statutory claim to assure that abused women receive the help and support they are in need of women’s shelters’ role as public welfare service providers seem to have increased.

The Impact of Religion: Challenges for Society, Law and Democracy, Welfare and Values in Europe: Transitions Related to Religion

The use of animal abuse as a coercive control technique within intimate partner violence is found in nearly half of all violent relationships. Concern for their animals’ well-being, fear for their own safety and difficulty finding temporary animal accommodation leads to women remaining in these relationships. Te Whare Tiaki Wahine Refuge is the only women’s refuge in New Zealand that makes formal provision for animals at their safe houses, enabling women and animals to leave violence together. This research explores the relationship women have with their animals within the context of intimate partner violence, positions animals as victims of family violence themselves, and asks why the service Te Whare Tiaki Wahine Refuge offers is important in enabling women and their animals to leave family violence together. Three women who had animals and were residing at Te Whare Tiaki Wahine Refuge, two Te Whare Tiaki Wahine Refuge social workers and four Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals staff volunteered to participate in conversational interviews that were focused on women’s relationships with their animals and experiences of animal abuse and intimate partner violence. The provision of accommodation for animals leaving violence was investigated. The interviews were voice-recorded, transcribed and analysed using feminist standpoint epistemology and Riessman’s (1993) method of narrative inquiry. The analysis represents the strength of women’s relationships with their animals and the importance of them being able to leave their violent relationships together. Animals were positioned as victims of family violence within this research, resulting from the animals’ experiences of physical abuse, purposeful neglect and emotional suffering. Women were found to generally position their animals to be part of the family and an important source of comfort, unconditional love and companionship, especially during difficult times. Having these animals at the safe house with

This article focuses on Sisters’ Shelter Somaya in Sweden, an organization unique in its claim to be a women’s shelter by and for Muslim women, and in its combining of Islamic and secular feminisms. Examining the organization’s self-presentations, the author argues that there is, however, an ongoing shift from an emphasis on its Muslim profile to a dissolution of the very same. Looking into potential loss in the process (for clients, activists, allies, and feminism at large), the analysis draws on current research on anti-Muslim intolerance and normative secularism. The concept of the “Muslim woman” is employed to illustrate the stereotyping that continuously associates Muslim women with “victims” inhabiting shelters rather than capable “managers”. Intersectionality is pointed at as an emic strategy adopted by Somaya to overcome division, but also critically analysed as a consensus-creating signifier that hinders diversity. Thus,the article raises the increasingly important issue of the relationship between religion, gender, and feminism in the post-secular turn, and the author calls for critical self-reflection and creative affirmation in the interaction with heterogeneous others.

This article focuses on Sisters’ Shelter Somaya in Sweden, an organization unique in its claim to be a women’s shelter by and for Muslim women, and in its combining of Islamic and secular feminisms. Examining the organization’s self-presentations, the author argues that there is, however, an ongoing shift from an emphasis on its Muslim profile to a dissolution of the very same. Looking into potential loss in the process (for clients, activists, allies, and feminism at large), the analysis draws on current research on anti-Muslim intolerance and normative secularism. The concept of the “Muslim woman” is employed to illustrate the stereotyping that continuously associates Muslim women with “victims” inhabiting shelters rather than capable “managers”. Intersectionality is pointed at as an emic strategy adopted by Somaya to overcome division, but also critically analysed as a consensus-creating signifier that hinders diversity. Thus,the article raises the increasingly important issue of the relationship between religion, gender, and feminism in the post-secular turn, and the author calls for critical self-reflection and creative affirmation in the interaction with heterogeneous others.

This article focuses on Sisters’ Shelter Somaya in Sweden, an organization unique in its claim to be a women’s shelter by and for Muslim women, and in its combining of Islamic and secular feminisms. Examining the organization’s self-presentations, the author argues that there is, however, an ongoing shift from an emphasis on its Muslim profile to a dissolution of the very same. Looking into potential loss in the process (for clients, activists, allies, and feminism at large), the analysis draws on current research on anti-Muslim intolerance and normative secularism. The concept of the “Muslim woman” is employed to illustrate the stereotyping that continuously associates Muslim women with “victims” inhabiting shelters rather than capable “managers”. Intersectionality is pointed at as an emic strategy adopted by Somaya to overcome division, but also critically analysed as a consensus-creating signifier that hinders diversity. Thus,the article raises the increasingly important issue of the relationship between religion, gender, and feminism in the post-secular turn, and the author calls for critical self-reflection and creative affirmation in the interaction with heterogeneous others.

This article focuses on Sisters’ Shelter Somaya in Sweden, an organization unique in its claim to be a women’s shelter by and for Muslim women, and in its combining of Islamic and secular feminisms. Examining the organization’s self-presentations, the author argues that there is, however, an ongoing shift from an emphasis on its Muslim profile to a dissolution of the very same. Looking into potential loss in the process (for clients, activists, allies, and feminism at large), the analysis draws on current research on anti-Muslim intolerance and normative secularism. The concept of the “Muslim woman” is employed to illustrate the stereotyping that continuously associates Muslim women with “victims” inhabiting shelters rather than capable “managers”. Intersectionality is pointed at as an emic strategy adopted by Somaya to overcome division, but also critically analysed as a consensus-creating signifier that hinders diversity. Thus,the article raises the increasingly important issue of the relationship between religion, gender, and feminism in the post-secular turn, and the author calls for critical self-reflection and creative affirmation in the interaction with heterogeneous others.