Violence in intimate relationships : A literature study on the challenges faced by social services in encounters with women exposed to violence and interventions for women exposed to violence

Abstract Intimate partner violence is a global and complex social problem that can involve physical, psychological, and sexual violence. Even with a well developed welfare system, research shows that women in Sweden are exposed to intimate partner violence to a high extent. While many cases remain unreported and the willingness to report such violence is low. Social services have a central role in identifying, supporting, and protecting women who are exposed to violence. However, previous research highlights several challenges in this work. The aim of this structured literature review is to examine the role of social services in addressing violence against women in intimate partner relationships. Even to explore what types of support and interventions are offered to women exposed to violence according to previous research. The study is based on an analysis of twelve peer-reviewed articles using qualitative, quantitative, policy analysis, literature review, and critical discourse analysis approaches. The findings show that the work of social services is influenced by organizational conditions, professional discretion, levels of knowledge, and access to resources. Support for women exposed to violence varies between municipalities and organizations. Which can lead to unequal access to support and interventions. Lack of knowledge, high workload, and insufficient cooperation between authorities are recur challenges. At the same time, the importance of specialization, continuous training, and a holistic view of women’s life situations is emphasized in order to provide effective and long term support. Overall the study shows that social services play a crucial role, but that structural improvements are needed to better meet the needs of women exposed to violence.