Violence against women is globally a serious and widespread social problem. Addressing it requires a comprehensive understanding and coordinated action at all levels of society. The topic of violence has gained increasing attention and recognition as an important field of research (see also Sedmak & Kralj, 2006; Filipčič, 2012; Bezenšek Lalić, 2009; Filipčič & Klemenčič, 2011). Inter-institutional teams play a key role in providing coordinated and effective support and protection for victims of violence, with the active contribution of all relevant institutions involved in the lives of women with experiences of violence. Several authors (see Rape Žiberna, 2019; Schön, 2015; Rape Žiberna, 2025) stress the importance of collaboration with service users — in this case, women with experiences of violence — as active participants whose involvement can enhance their motivation and empowerment as opposed to just being the receivers of our opinions. The theoretical part of the thesis first provides an overview of violence in general, followed by a focus on inter-institutional cooperation in social work centres: how inter-institutional teams operate, who convenes them, who participates, and related aspects. Throughout the whole thesis the emphasis is on the importance of collaboration and the co-creation of support with women with experiences of violence, as they are best placed to identify their own needs and wishes, to determine what they can manage independently, and where they may need encouragement and guidance.
The empirical part presents a qualitative study examining how inter-institutional teams operate in cases of domestic violence at social work centres; in which situations women with experiences of violence are invited to participate; how social workers and other team members ensure that the voices of women with experiences of violence are heard; and what professionals identify as the advantages of women's participation in these teams, as well as the disadvantages for their inclusion. The study involved ten interviews with female professionals and one male professional working in the field of violence across various social work centres in Slovenia.
The findings show that professionals generally strive to involve women with experiences of violence in team processes, but face certain challenges, including managing women's emotional distress, expressions of pain and vulnerability, occasional differences of opinion between professionals and women with experiences of violence, and situations of non-cooperation. The study revealed that women's presence is of key importance in teams convened after a restraining order is issued against the perpetrator or in cases where support is provided for victims of criminal acts. Women with experiences of violence play a crucial role in developing their individual support plan and danger assessment, which represent the most important component of the inter-institutional team process.
The results further suggest that women's participation in these teams contributes to a greater sense of empowerment, increased control over the process, the experience of not being alone, and validation that the violence they experienced is unacceptable.
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