Focus Group as a Method of Assessing the Application of the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence

Georgi Milkov Dimitrov
Sofia University

Abstract. Focus groups are appropriate method for studying the practices of preventing domestic violence at a regional level. The method provides a reflexive space for identification of collective insights in the course of group interactions and preservation and registration of the implicit individual preferences of participants in the group discussion. Focus groups are organized in order to study the relationships of the target groups with the institutions in Razgrad district and the extent of their involvement in the process of prevention of domestic violence. Sharing of own experiences and ideas and the interactive comparison of the viewpoints of the participants that arise during group interactions in thematic focus groups, provide a more complete picture of the phenomena studied. The dynamics of symbolic interactions and the social exchange of information in the group process of the focus group reveals additional, subdivided views on the content and validity of the empirical data collected by this method. The focus groups do not apply the survey-specific pressures for a structured response to the moderator’s questions, which allows a higher level of authentic sharing and understanding of the experiences, attitudes, practices and relationships presented.
Keywords: Focus group; domestic violence; local mechanism; cooperation; professionals

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