post-Traumatic Growth Among Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence : An Analysis Through Bourdieu’s Theoretical Framework and Radical Feminist Theory

Abstract

     This article examines the processes of transition and post-traumatic growth among women who have experienced intimate partner violence through an integration of three theoretical frameworks : Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital, Radical Feminist theory, and the Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) perspective. Employing a qualitative approach based on theoretical and documentary analysis, the study argues that escaping violence is not merely a matter of survival but a complex process involving internal conflicts shaped by cultural biases and patriarchal structures. Women are required to disengage from their internalized habitus, accumulate new forms of capital, reconstruct their identities, and ultimately transform into agents of giving through psychological growth. The theoretical analysis and synthesis of existing literature reveal that post-traumatic growth emerges from processes of critical awakening, empowerment, and collective action aimed at transforming both the self and society. The article emphasizes that support for women experiencing intimate partner violence should be holistic, encompassing psychosocial, cultural, and structural dimensions, in order to foster sustainable and meaningful transitions within Thai society.