Multilevel Factors for (Non)Reporting Intimate Partner Violence: The Case of Bulgaria

Intimate partner violence is recognized as one of the most common forms of violence against women. However, it remains under-reported in many countries. The text aims to present key factors affecting women’s willingness to report intimate partner violence in Bulgaria. We proceed from the idea that the factors that create conditions for the existence of this type of violence in a society are also a major obstacle for women to file official complaints. Considering the complexity of the phenomenon and the numerous aspects that influence whether a victim will seek help or not, we use the three analytical levels—micro, meso and macro—to identify the main barriers to reporting intimate partner violence. The data used in the article were collected through a nationally representative adult population survey on attitudes towards violence against women in Bulgaria, in-depth interviews and focus groups with experts from various institutions related to the problem, and a survey among women victims of violence. The analysis revealed the impact on reporting willingness of macro factors such as the legal framework for preventing and regulating violence against women, as well as the existence of widely accepted cultural norms that normalize milder types of violence. At the meso level, ineffective institutional responses and a lack of support from the closest environment appear to be deterrents to reporting violence. Along with individual characteristics (such as psychological, emotional, and economic reliance) indicated by earlier studies and validated in our research, the analysis identified some poorly studied factors that positively influence the reporting of violence, such as public support expressed through social media and civil protests.