The paper presents findings from a qualitative study (depth interviews in the one-to-one and dyad format), held with European Social Survey round 3 refusers in Poland. Its objective was to gather insights into reasons behind negative attitudes towards participation in surveys. Our research has shown that there is a need to distinguish between 'active' refusals and cases where surveys are ignored. In cases of 'active', conscious refusals there are some underlying reasons for refusal that could be challenged. On the other hand, social isolators 'by choice' make automatic refusals, without much thinking and, therefore, conversions are hardly possible in such cases.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a global rise of intimate partner violence against women as it combined multiple risk factors. Crisis situations and their potential economic impact cause psychological stress and increase negative coping strategies, which belong to the significant risk factors for intimate partner violence. In addition, restriction of social contacts and social isolation that constituted an important part of anti-pandemic responses are well documented strategies of batterers that use them as mechanisms of coercive control and to prevent help-seeking. Several studies of the impact of COVID-19 on intimate partner violence focused on its increase and the limited access to services during the pandemic. Less attention has been paid to social isolation as a legitimation of violent strategies and its impact on IPV survivors’ resilience. The present text addresses social isolation in this context. It derives from qualitative research on the impact of COVID-19 on IPV survivors carried out through interviews with 9 employees of specialised social services for women experiencing violence. As such, it reflects service providers’ experience and their expert evaluation. As expected, social isolation as a new social norm during the pandemic has increased this specific form of violence and led to a limited availability of help. However, it has also generated less predictable effects such as slowing down of the healing process and re-traumatising of already compensated survivors, as well as challenging service providers as social isolation contradicts the philosophical principles of services for intimate partner violence survivors.
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