HomeAbstract of 8th-icshaNormative Rejection and Social Presence of Intimate Partner Violence: A Socioecological Analysis of a Local Community in Croatia

Normative Rejection and Social Presence of Intimate Partner Violence: A Socioecological Analysis of a Local Community in Croatia

  • Mar 25, 2026
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Abstract Book of the 8th International Conference on Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

Year: 2026

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Normative Rejection and Social Presence of Intimate Partner Violence: A Socioecological Analysis of a Local Community in Croatia

Gorana Bandalović, Ana Miloš

ABSTRACT:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex social phenomenon with long-term individual and societal consequences that extends beyond traditional understandings of violence as a private family matter. Drawing on the socioecological perspective, this study examines IPV within the contemporary social context, focusing on the local community of Solin, Croatia. The aim was to explore the attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of working-age women regarding the prevalence, forms, and perceived causes of IPV, and to identify local risk patterns and intervention needs. The research was conducted using a survey on a convenience sample of 770 women, with data collected between October 2024 and April 2025. The results indicate a high level of recognition of emotional and physical violence, alongside a substantial presence of direct and indirect experiences of abuse. Nearly one third of respondents reported personal experience of abuse, while the majority knew someone in their immediate environment who had experienced violence. Most participants acknowledged that violence is not limited to physical forms and expressed strong normative rejection of any justification for partner violence. Substance abuse, financial stress, and lack of social support were identified as key perceived risk factors. At the same time, a considerable proportion of respondents expressed distrust in the adequacy of institutional responses. The findings underline the importance of strengthening institutional support, enhancing education, and developing multidisciplinary prevention strategies at the local community level.

Keywords: intimate partner violence; local community; prevention; socioecological perspective; violence against women