Cultural, Ideological and Structural Conditions Contributing to the Sustainability of Violence Against Women: The Case of Bulgaria

This article aims to analyze the conditions that contribute to the sustainability of violence against women in Bulgaria, an EU member state with high rates of this phenomenon. The analysis is based on data obtained through qualitative and quantitative methods, including in-depth interviews and focus groups with experts from state institutions (the police, prosecutors, courts, and social services), politicians, journalists, and from non-governmental organizations working with victims, as well as a nationwide sample survey of the adult population of Bulgaria. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The article demonstrates that cultural, ideological, and structural conditions in Bulgarian society facilitate the sustainability of violence against women. These include patriarchal norms prevailing in the family, specific characteristics of the popular culture, the neoliberal ideology of extreme individualism, the withdrawal of the state from its obligations, and ineffective institutional response. These conclusions point to the need to enhance the state’s capacity to counteract the phenomenon as well as the need to address ingrained cultural norms of conduct.