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Abuse Against Women in Swiss Families
Lucienne Gillioz
This study focuses on physical, sexual and psychological
abuse of women in Swiss families. Its theoretical framework
considers the social context of gender as a major root cause
of abuse against women, specifically in the way it manifests
itself at the family level.
The study has five main objectives:
1. To measure the extent, form and gravity of abuse against
women in Swiss families
2. To convey the point of view of abused women about their
experiences of abuse, how they and their children are affected
3. By a comparative study of families with and without (or
with hardly any) abuse against women, to understand the phenomenon
and its underlying mechanisms
4. To highlight the strategies developed by women in order
to cope with abuse
5. To gather information about the public's perception of
abuse against women and its causes in Swiss families; to what
extent is it accepted; and what images are associated with
abusive men and abused women.
The study is structured in two phases:
a) a quantitative survey of a representative sample of 1500
female Swiss residents, aged 20-60 and living with a partner
b) a qualitative study based on 30 in-depth interviews with
women who experience domestic abuse
This research has important implications for the advancement
of knowledge as well as for social policies concerning assistance
to victims or prevention of this type of abuse. For the first
time in Switzerland, representative statistics regarding abuse
against women in families will be available at a national
level. Feminist theory applied to the empirical study of families
is likely to bear fruitful results and enable a broader understanding
of the social and family risk factors for abuse.
The results of the study will be the basis for a large program
of sensitization to the problem of abuse against women. A
campaign will address the general public, officials in the
field of social policy, and institutions dealing with the
problem (police, justice, medical professions, social services,
women's associations etc.). Finally, the study will provide
information in order to set up a humane and efficient policy
of assistance to women and families concerned by abuse.
The study started in October 1993 and will be completed
by the end of 1995.
The team of researchers is composed of: Lucienne Gillioz,
Jacqueline De Puy and Véronique Ducret. For further
information, please contact:
Lucienne Gillioz
Bureau de légalité des droits entre hommes et
femmes
Rue de la Tannerie 2,
1227 Carouge/Geneva, SWITZERLAND
Ph: +4122/301.37.00
Fx: +4222/301.37.92
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