“A Constant Reminder”: How Intimate Partner Violence Survivors with Long-Term Injuries Perceive Their Bodies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with a wide range of short- and long-term physical and mental health consequences, including long-term injuries with ongoing health ramifications. Despite the prevalence of long-term IPV-related injuries, research on their impact is scarce, particularly regarding the subjective experiences of survivors and their perceptions of their bodies with the injury. Understanding these perceptions is crucial for providing holistic, individualized care that fosters psychological recovery and resilience. Thus, this study aimed to explore how IPV survivors with long-term injuries perceive their bodies and make sense of the impairment and its consequences. An interpretive phenomenological analysis methodology was utilized to conduct semi-structured interviews with 13 participants, all women with long-term injuries resulting from IPV. Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of the body was used as a theoretical framework for analyzing the participants’ narratives, revealing four themes: (a) Alienation of the body; (b) disregard or denial of the body; (c) acceptance of the body, and (d) use of the injured body to promote healing. The findings indicate that for IPV survivors with long-term injuries, healing transcends physical rehabilitation and involves reconstituting their embodied selves. Understanding how physical trauma profoundly affects self-perception and identity may help develop tailored interventions for this population.