Exploring How Mothers With A History Of Intimate Partner Violence Experienced The COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
As described in the theory of Strengthening Capacity to Limit Intrusion, mothers face numerous challenges after leaving an abusive relationship. This interpretive descriptive study explored how mothers with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelve semi-structured virtual interviews were completed with mothers that had experienced IPV greater than 6 months prior to study enrollment. Mothers described experiencing structural violence during the pandemic, impacting their financial stability, access to affordable housing, and access to legal/community supports. Mothers also described the negative impact of the pandemic on their mental health, their difficulty accessing counselling services, and the challenges associated with managing an increased workload. Despite these experiences, many mothers described how their relationship with their child strengthened. Implications of this study include the need for policy changes to address the structural violence experienced by mothers with a history of IPV in the aftermath of the pandemic.