A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
Institutional and Affective Practices of Domestic Violence Interventions in Social Work : Malignant Positioning of Victims (2021)

Piippo, S., Husso, M., Hirvonen, P., Notko, M., & Glumbíková, K. (2021). Institutional and Affective Practices of Domestic Violence Interventions in Social Work : Malignant Positioning of Victims. In M. Husso, S. Karkulehto, T. Saresma, A. Laitila, J. Eilola, & H. Siltala (Eds.), Violence, Gender and Affect : Interpersonal, Institutional and Ideological Practices (pp. 113-133). Palgrave Macmillan. Palgrave Studies in Victims and Victimology. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56930-3_6

JYU authors or editors

Notko, Marianne

Publication details

All authors or editors: Piippo, Sisko; Husso, Marita; Hirvonen, Pasi; Notko, Marianne; Glumbíková, Kateřina

Parent publication: Violence, Gender and Affect : Interpersonal, Institutional and Ideological Practices

Parent publication editors: Husso, Marita; Karkulehto, Sanna; Saresma, Tuija; Laitila, Aarno; Eilola, Jari; Siltala, Heli

ISBN: 978-3-030-56929-7

eISBN: 978-3-030-56930-3

Journal or series: Palgrave Studies in Victims and Victimology

Publication year: 2021

Pages range: 113-133

Number of pages in the book: 292

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Place of Publication: Cham

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56930-3_6

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access:

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/79539

Abstract

This chapter investigates the institutional and affective practices of domestic violence (DV) interventions in Finnish social work. It examines the expression of social workers’ emotions related to intervening in DV and how these expressions result in the positioning of clients. Encountering and intervening in DV is often challenging; ideological presumptions, conceptions, gender-neutral discussions and misrecognition of violence affect institutional arrangements and practices, and the ways in which professionals feel about and respond to violence. We utilise positioning theory to analyse social workers’ focus group interview data (n = 20). We consider (1) how emotions expressed by social workers assign positions and moral assumptions to social workers’ and victims’ rights and duties and (2) how the display of emotions is connected to the social workers’ positioning of the victims. Our findings suggest that gender neutrality, as an ideological and institutional practice, can be used to rationalise and justify professional inactivity in addressing DV. Hence, changing institutional and affective practices that enable the malignant positioning of DV victims requires changing gender-neutral rhetoric in the conceptualisation of DV, as well as ideological practices related to ignorance and the rejection of violence.

Keywords: violence (activity); domestic violence; social work; family work; violence prevention work; emotions; gender; gender neutrality