Addressing Isolating Gender Violence (IGV) As a Preventive Mechanism to Face Gender Violence: Lessons from Qualitative Research Among Professionals Attending Victims of Gender Violence in Extremadura (Spain).

Scientific literature defines isolating gender violence (IGV) as that suffered by people who support victims of gender violence. Thus, its identification is a key element as a preventive mechanism, both for victims as for defenders. However, although progress has been made in the delimitation of the concept, in its legal regulation and in its manifestation in areas such as sexual harassment in universities, it is still unknown whether IGV is suffered by professionals attending women victims of gender violence. To this end, in-depth interviews with a communicative approach to professionals of the Extremaduran system of attention to victims of gender violence (Spain) has been conducted.

Four are the lessons that can be derived from the results of this research. Firstly, there is sufficient evidence to place these professionals as preferred victims of IGV. Secondly, a clear isomorphism has also been found between the processes of victimisation of gender violence victims and IGV victims. In particular: difficulty identifying and acknowledging the situation of violence experienced, denial, difficulty asking for help, self-blame and secondary victimisation and normalization of IGV. Furthermore, the research has made it possible to identify the victimization mechanisms that professionals suffer, allowing us to establish two different categories named as “subtle” and “explicit” and that differ in the degree of violence. Finally, the consequences of IGV have been analysed both on their reputation as professionals as well as the effects it has on victims of gender violence and on their own families.

A deep understanding of such processes of victimization is essential, on the one hand, to face an occupational risk which has been ignored to date. Such risk is affecting not only the health of these professionals but also the quality of their service provision which, on the other side, contributes to fuelling denialist discourses of gender violence.