In the business of gendered violence: the private shelter discourse in Sweden

For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and targ...

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Published in:Critical and radical social work Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 1 - 16
Main Authors: Lauri, Marcus, Lauri, Johanna
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Bristol Policy Press 01.07.2024
Subjects:
Competition
Discourse
gender studies
Gender-based violence
gendered violence
genusvetenskap
kvinnojour
mäns våld mot kvinnor
Neoliberalism
nyliberalism
Private sector
private shelters
privatisation
privatisering
Privatization
Profits
Shelters
skyddat boende
Social work
våld i nära relation
Women
women’s shelters
gendered violence
neoliberalism
privatisation
women’s shelters
private shelters
ISSN:2049-8608, 2049-8675, 2049-8675
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:For-profit companies have begun competing with women’s shelters for ‘clients’ trying to escape violence. Using discourse theory, this study examines how 20 private shelters describe their business. The analysis shows that private shelters describe themselves as: (1) having a broad expertise and target group: (2) being able to tend to the individual needs of any client; and (3) being highly available and flexible. We understand this as an expression of a neoliberal market discourse and as a way to differentiate themselves from women’s shelters. This may put pressure on women’s shelters to provide similar ‘inclusion’, availability and flexibility. Furthermore: (4) private shelters contribute to shaping a desirable neoliberal subject, that is, a self-reliant woman; and (5), by articulating needs as individual and inherently mundane, they lean more towards ‘providing accommodation’ than addressing the particularities of (gendered) violence.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:2049-8608
2049-8675
2049-8675
DOI:10.1332/204986021X16826760140926