Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) affects approximately one-fifth of women during their lifetime in China. However, limited studies have been conducted in China among women and service providers on IPV. The study reported in this article used an Ecological Model and the Capabilities Perspective integrated with the Advocacy Intervention Model as the theoretical framework for guiding the research and data analysis. This study was part of a participatory project to develop appropriate social work interventions in Guangzhou, China.
Findings
Twenty-one women who experienced IPV and 30 service providers were interviewed for their views on barriers to help-seeking processes, needs and concerns of this population, and recommendations for any changes. The results of this study clearly suggest that gender inequality is the root cause of IPV against women and prevents women from leaving a violent relationship.
Applications
The results suggest a number of needed changes at micro, meso, exo, and macro levels and the ways in which social workers can act as advocates for the changes in the context of Guangzhou.
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