“It makes me feel good making other people feel good”: how women who experience intimate partner violence bolster their resilience through altruism

This study explored resilience and altruism in rural Ontario in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). A total of 14 women who experienced IPV and 12 service providers participated in the study, which included two rounds of semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were organized using Quirkos qualitative analysis software and Thorne’s interpretive description guided analysis. Two themes and five subthemes emerged: (1) relational resilience (subthemes: importance of having a network of supportive women; and resilience in shared experiences); and (2) engagement in altruism (subthemes: meaning-making of abuse through helping behaviours; altruism towards women as a form of healing; and going into careers to help other women). It was evident through their interviews, that women believed relationships with other women, whether as the receiver or the giver of altruism, helped foster their resilience. As such, providing women with mentorship opportunities allows for meaning-making, which can bolster their resilience.