中華心理衛生協會

Purpose: The case report provides insight into the nature of intimate partner violence and the limitations of current social work treatments. Methods: Ching is a Taiwanese woman who suffered from intimate partner violence (IPV) from her husband. I narrate her story and help-seeking processes, particularly the difficulties she faced with intervention by domestic violence services. I reflect on her reluctant and fickle attitude toward me as her social worker in light of Evan Stark’s coercive control theory, which emphasizes gender entrapment, privileged access, and social isolation. Results: As Stark’s theory suggests, the control relationship made Ching a prisoner to her partner. She could not escape to seek help from the formal system. In Taiwan, the social work intervention strategies that aim to enhance domestic violence victims’ safety, such as protective orders and reporting to the police, are mainly judicial tools. Consequently, social workers and network members (e.g., the police) place greater emphasis on physical abuse than psychological abuse and controlling relationships. Stark claimed that tools that aim to enhance domestic violence victims’ safety are only useful short-term. I also found this to be the case for Ching. Conclusions: Unless the controlling and oppressive relationship that is depriving a victim of autonomy can be recognized, it is difficult for professionals to develop effective strategies that truly help victims lead an independent and free life. I hope this article can help practitioners rethink the nature of intimate partner violence and their strategies for helping domestic violence victims.