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Children Witnessing Domestic Violence in the Voice of Health and Social Professionals Dealing with Contrasting Gender Violence

Author

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  • Stefania Carnevale

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138 Napoli, Italy)

  • Immacolata Di Napoli

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138 Napoli, Italy)

  • Ciro Esposito

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138 Napoli, Italy)

  • Caterina Arcidiacono

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138 Napoli, Italy)

  • Fortuna Procentese

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138 Napoli, Italy)

Abstract

Witnessing domestic violence (WDV) is recognized by the Istanbul Convention as psychological abuse that has dramatic consequences on the psychophysical health of children. Therefore, professionals who form the support network for WDV victims play a very fundamental role. In order to draw up useful guidelines for services dealing with WDV, and to give children more awareness of supportive settings, this study analyzes WDV in the perception of health and welfare professionals to enhance their skills and strategies for contrasting gender violence. Sixteen Neapolitan specialists dealing with WDV children were interviewed. A theoretical intentional sampling was used. Narrative focused interviews were carried out, transcribed verbatim and analyzed through the grounded theory methodology, using the ATLAS.ti 8 software (Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany). We assigned 319 codes and grouped these into 10 categories and 4 macro-categories. The analysis of the texts led to the definition of the core category as “The Crystal Fortress”. It summarizes the image of the WDV children as described by the professionals working in contrasting domestic violence. In this structure the parental roles of protection and care (fortress) are suspended and everything is extremely rigid, fragile and always at risk of a catastrophe. It also symbolizes the difficult role of health professionals in dealing with such children and their families. For WDV children, protective factors guarantee solid development and supportive settings help them to learn proper emotional responsiveness and expressiveness and to develop their skills in talking with adults while avoiding negative consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefania Carnevale & Immacolata Di Napoli & Ciro Esposito & Caterina Arcidiacono & Fortuna Procentese, 2020. "Children Witnessing Domestic Violence in the Voice of Health and Social Professionals Dealing with Contrasting Gender Violence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-18, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4463-:d:374493
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Immacolata Di Napoli & Fortuna Procentese & Stefania Carnevale & Ciro Esposito & Caterina Arcidiacono, 2019. "Ending Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Locating Men at Stake: An Ecological Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Fusco, Rachel A. & Fantuzzo, John W., 2009. "Domestic violence crimes and children: A population-based investigation of direct sensory exposure and the nature of involvement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 249-256, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Immacolata Di Napoli & Stefania Carnevale & Ciro Esposito & Roberta Block & Caterina Arcidiacono & Fortuna Procentese, 2020. "“Kept in Check”: Representations and Feelings of Social and Health Professionals Facing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-18, October.
    2. Fortuna Procentese & Roberto Fasanelli & Stefania Carnevale & Ciro Esposito & Noemi Pisapia & Caterina Arcidiacono & Immacolata Di Napoli, 2020. "Downside: The Perpetrator of Violence in the Representations of Social and Health Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-26, September.
    3. Roberto Fasanelli & Ida Galli & Maria Gabriella Grassia & Marina Marino & Rosanna Cataldo & Carlo Natale Lauro & Chiara Castiello & Filomena Grassia & Caterina Arcidiacono & Fortuna Procentese, 2020. "The Use of Partial Least Squares–Path Modelling to Understand the Impact of Ambivalent Sexism on Violence-Justification among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-22, July.

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