Using digital storytelling with women who have experienced intimate partner abuse: a qualitative exploration of participant experiences in Australia

Abstract

Intimate partner abuse (IPA) is a pervasive issue affecting one in three women globally. Although understanding of IPA has increased over time, it is still lacking, and new ways of highlighting the experiences of victims/survivors are essential. This article draws on reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews from two research projects to examine the experiences of women who have experienced IPA and who participated in a digital storytelling workshop. Three themes were developed describing their experiences: Taking back control; Knowing you’re not alone and A healing journey. The results suggest that while digital storytelling was not designed as a therapeutic intervention, participants nonetheless described improvements to their wellbeing. However, the findings also highlight the need for trauma-informed facilitation when running digital storytelling workshops focused on sensitive issues.