From rehabilitation to recovery. A self-help experience to regain quality of life after violence

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem and a human rights violation that affects the lives of many women around the world. Victims of abuse report a multitude of adverse outcomes, in the biological, psychological and social domains of their life. Despite extensive research on the effectiveness of support groups, self-help is a methodology little explored in its potential effects in IPV cases. This paper analyzes a self-help experience developed within an anti-violence service of the Municipality of Rome. A collaborative study was carried out to assess the impacts of self-help in terms of participants’ quality of life. We adopted the notion of quality of life as formulated by Nussbaum, further defined through her list of ten human capabilities. Participants’ narratives were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results showed a significant impact of the group in terms of women’s quality of life. Affiliation was highlighted as a central capability, through which the development of the others passes, especially practical reason and emotions. Political control over ones’ environment was another crucial capability, manifested in the desire to help other survivors and to engage in activities of advocacy. The self-help group appeared to work as a catalyst of for the development of individual capabilities at least minimally existing, in the presence of where external conditions allow it. Implications in terms of directions for the implementation of antiviolence programs and policies are discussed