[Coming out of the whirlwind of abuse. Qualitative research on gender violence].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the experience from the point of view of women who have suffered domestic violence. To identify factors related to continuing or resolving the problem.


METHODS
Qualitative interpretative research from a phenomenological perspective. POPULATION SAMPLE: Women, detected in primary care, who have suffered domestic violence and have recognised the problem, and who accepted to participate in this research. MULTICENTRE STUDY: Six health centres in the city of Malaga. METHODS AND TECHNIQUES: The technique used is the biographical narration using individual open interviews between social workers and women. This narration was tape-recorded and verbatim transcribed to written text. Grounded theory. Qualitative analysis was made with ATLAS-TI 5.2.


RESULTS
A total of 35 narrations were analysed. The abuse situation was described as "whirl-wind" metaphor (blindness-isolation-helplessness-suffering-destiny-dependence-fantasies -about love, protection, happiness, change- and vicious circles). Enduring experience is reported to be related to several factors: inculcated gender values, family-ideal, uncertainty, annulment, personal failure sensation, love, support defects, self-image, children protection, multiple fears and material aspects. They identified two types of "exit": passive and active with different mechanisms and repercussions. Exit experience is related to: limit situations, children intervention, family ideal attempts, and fear-loss. Leaving is a transitional process or "pathway". Institutional support is not always guaranteed and emotional support is better evaluated than a legal one.


CONCLUSIONS
Enduring and coming out are reported as two qualitatively different states, which involve many cultural and personal factors. There is a gap between these two states with a process that varies depending on the involvement of the women in decision-making.
Muñoz Cobos
Francisca
F
Centro de Salud El Palo Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, España. Electronic address: franciscam@ono.com.
Burgos Varo
María Luz
ML
Centro de Salud El Palo y Limonar, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, España.
Carrasco Rodríguez
Amalia
A
Centro de Salud Huelin, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, España.
Martín Carretero
María Luisa
ML
Centros de Salud San Pedro de Alcántara, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, España.
Río Ruiz
Josefa
J
Centro de Salud Puerta Blanca y La Luz, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, España.
Ortega Fraile
Inmaculada
I
Centro de Salud Rincón de La Victoria, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, España.
Villalobos Bravo
Mercedes
M
Centro de Salud Ciudad Jardín, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Málaga, España.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*