Is a good woman hard to find?

Conceptions of victim and stereotypes in judicial intimate partner violence cases

Abstract

This article reflects on the role of law in cases of violence in intimate partner relationships. Through interviews with legal actors and analysis of sentences, the study highlights the persistence of myths surrounding this type of violence and the presence of a legal imaginary influenced by gender stereotypes, which are ingrained in legal culture. These stereotypes and misconceptions contribute to the creation of a typology of victimisation that undermines the recognition of the victim's experience and perpetuates conservative judicial practices. The study concludes with the urgent need to develop transdisciplinary training programs that incorporate a legal gender pedagogy.

Keywords: intimate partner violence, gender stereotypes, courts, victim, criminal justice system.