Sri Widayanti
Balai Diklat Kesejahteraan Sosial Departemen Sosial Padang
sri_widayanti@yahoo.com
Abstract
This qualitative study examines female victims’ understanding about husband-wife relationships, including description of their phenomenological experiences as victims of domestic violence and their opinions of what constitutes a harmonious relationship. Three confidential interviews were conducted with female victims of domestic violence that have been helped and empowered by Rifka Annisa Women’s Crisis Center in Yogyakarta. The findings present female victims’ critical analyses of their experiences of domestic violence, allowing them to stress that four elements are required to establish a harmonious relationship: trust, the same religion, a responsible husband and an obedient wife. On the other hand, these women described the causes of disharmonious relationship in their family: an authoritative husband, less communication, a third person interfering in the relationship, different religion and different interpretation of Qur’anic verses.
Keywords: Husband and wife relations, domestic violence, harmonious relationship