Dehumanization in female victims of intimate partner violence

Dehumanization is a psychological construct meaning denying a person’s humanity. The present study has investigated the process of dehumanization in female victims of intimate partner violence using the grounded theory approach.

For this purpose, 130 women in Tehran were selected through the convenience sampling method, and after completion of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2), 60 female victims were identified. In-depth interviews started with these women, and the data reached theoretical saturation by interviewing ten victims.

The data analysis shows the role of dehumanization in the experiences of female victims of intimate partner violence in the form of two models. The first model showed that from the victim’s perspective, dehumanization plays a crucial role in intimate partner violence. The second model showed that dehumanization was experienced by these women and is involved in developing strategies in their response to the violence. The combination of these two models showed that dehumanization and violence in the context of domestic violence have a reciprocal relationship, forming a cycle between cognitions, emotions, and negative behaviors between couples.

Data analysis demonstrated that dehumanization might have a role in experiencing intimate partner violence and contribute to IPV recurrence.