Table 3 Case note themes and examples

Alcohol and substance abuse by members of the household as a contributing factor to violence

A: “Her stepfather started drinking excessively and would beat the [participant’s] mother in front of the children. Current boyfriend drinks excessively.”

B: “Husband is drinking excessively. Stays away for long periods of time without telling her of his whereabouts. He borrows money from other people to obtain alcohol. He came home drunk after being away the whole day. She was so angry she smacked him. This started a fight.”

Past abuse affecting current behaviours

C: “Witnessed [participant’s] mother’s ex-husband beating her mother. Gets flashbacks. She pictures the husband beating her mother and becomes extremely angry.”

D: “Abused as a child, raped, sodomized/abused by ex-husband.”

Violence is “normal behaviour”

E: “He hit her against her head and hit her with a fist against her stomach. This is how they normally handle conflict. It doesn’t seem strange/abnormal that they are so violent with each other.”

F: “She and her husband often get into physical fights with each other. An argument inevitably leads to fighting.”