A phenomenological study of the experience of domestic violence in Iranian women with HIV

This study explores the lived experience of domestic violence in HIV-infected women in Iran using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Data were collected in 2014 through in-depth interview of twelve HIV-infected women purposefully selected from a counselling centre in Tehran. The qualitative data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The main theme that emerged was 'the sunset of life' - an emotional numbing and fragile marital relationship resulting from the violence suffered by the women. From this, three sub-themes expressing women's feelings of hopelessness were extracted: 'the destroyed life', 'being in the destiny prison' and 'living on the edge of annihilation'. The results revealed that although the experience of domestic violence had devastating effects on women's lives, HIV infection was the factor that forced them to remain trapped in violent relationships. The findings emphasize the importance of designing comprehensive violence prevention strategies tailored to meeting the needs of HIV-infected women in Iran. © Cambridge University Press 2019