702 An exploration of incarcerated women’s conceptualisation and account of their intimate partner violence perpetration in Maputo, Mozambique

<h3>Background</h3> Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognized as a global public health concern with widespread implications for human rights, transcending boundaries of race, social class, culture, and religion. Research indicates that IPV is more prevalent than non-intimate violence, often leading to long-lasting consequences, and is seen occurring predominantly from men to women. Aim: This study aimed to explore the conceptualization and narratives of female perpetrators regarding their IPV perpetration towards men, including the factors contributing to these behaviours. <h3>Methods</h3> Nine incarcerated females aged over 18 convicted of perpetrating IPV participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). <h3>Results</h3> The analysis revealed three main themes: (1) understanding of IPV despite limited education, indicating awareness among participants about IPV and its nature; (2) experiences of IPV and perpetration, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of IPV incidents, often preceded by prolonged suffering within the relationship; (3) factors contributing to IPV perpetration, including childhood exposure to violence and continued exposure to IPV in the relationship. <h3>Conclusions</h3> These findings shed light on the phenomenon of female-perpetrated IPV in Mozambique. They underscore the need for tailored prevention and intervention programs to address the psychological trauma experienced by women incarcerated for IPV perpetration.