Through an Intersectional Lens: Prevalence of Violence Against Disabled Women in Iceland

Abstract

Using an intersectional lens, this study analyses data from a nationally representative sample in Iceland, examining violence among marginalized groups of different social locations. The results highlight the precarious position of disabled women and show a significant increase of risk of violence with each marginalized social location women inhabit. Results illustrate how precarity and exposure increases for multiply marginalized women, demonstrating the importance of considering the social dimensions of violence. The article argues for the importance of advancing critical dialogue and research on violence, using an intersectional frame and including factors such as disability, gender, sexual orientation, and financial strain.

‘We Got Lucky with the Judge’: Access to Justice for Disabled Women in Iceland

“…Of grave concern is the fact that disabled women are at a higher risk than other women of experiencing violence (Manjoo 2012;Hughes et al 2012;Krnjacki et al 2016;UNFPA 2018); that they experience violence for longer periods of time than non-disabled women (Yoshida et al 2009; Barrett et al 2009); and that they experience a wider range of forms of violence (Nixon 2009). Most research on violence against disabled women has focused on the form and frequency of violence (Hughes et al 2012;Arnalds and Snaefríðar-Gunnarsdóttir 2013;Snaefríðar-Gunnarsdóttir et al 2023;Krnjacki et al 2016;Corcoran and Smith 2016), how violence affects the mental and physical health of victims (Barrett et al 2009;Olszowski and Boaden 2010;Macdonald 2015;McClimens and Brewster 2019;Rowlands and Amy 2017;Bergsveinsdóttir 2017;Haraldsdóttir 2017), and issues relating to their access to support services (Traustadóttir and Snaefríðar-Gunnarsdóttir 2014;Snaefríðar-Gunnarsdóttir and Traustadóttir 2015;Shah et al 2016;Woodin and Shah 2014).…”