Lived experiences of battered women in Ozamiz City, Philippines

Abstract

Domestic violence is prevalent not only in the Philippines but also in other countries. This study explored how battered women viewed their experiences as victims using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach (van Manen, 2016). Using purposive sampling and snowball technique, the study identified six battered women who were interviewed using researcher-made guide questions. The responses generated from the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenology which aimed to understand the lived experiences of the participants. Four central themes were identified, namely recurrence of physical abuse, endurance to pain, disempowerment of women, and love for family. Battered women prefer to stay home and endure their husbands’ battering to protect children and family from social stigma.