Date of Conferral

8-11-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Lori Demeter

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been shown to be a critical public health and human rights crisis in Sierra Leone driven by patriarchal sociocultural norms. However, despite legislative frameworks like the Domestic Violence Act of 2007, IPV incidents continue to rise, revealing a gap in policy implementation and real-world enforcement. Past research has documented IPV prevalence, yet an empirical evaluation assessing how stakeholders viewed the impact of national policies on prevention and response had not been conducted. The purpose of this study was to explore frontline stakeholders' perceptions regarding the operational influence of existing IPV policies. Grounded in the narrative policy framework, the study examined how policy outcomes were socially constructed by stakeholder feedback. A general qualitative research method was employed using semi-structured virtual interviews with 15 experts selected via purposeful and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed using the modified Van Kaam design for thematic development. Results revealed four key themes: strong legal frameworks, severe implementation gaps, sociocultural resistance, and a critical safety vacuum. Implications for positive social change include guiding policymakers to transition from donor-dependent "project-based justice" toward sustained domestic funding for survivor shelters, specialized training, and economic empowerment initiatives with the ultimate goal of improving survivor opportunities and outcomes.

Download

Included in

Public Policy Commons

Share

 
COinS