Policy on domestic violence in Bolivia: An intersectional study on visibility and inclusion

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis was to investigate visibility and inclusion in policy on domestic violence in Bolivia by answering the specific questions: 1) How are the axis of difference related to gender, class and ethnicity made visible in the national policy documents on domestic violence? and 2) How are the intersections of gender class and ethnicity understood by service providers in public institutions assisting victims of domestic violence and how do they relate them to their work and broader societal structures? This thesis employed a qualitative case study, conducting a qualitative content analysis of policy documents between 2008 and 2018, and semi-structured interviews with nine service providers in three municipalities of Cochabamba in order to answer these questions and fulfill the purpose. Findings showed that domestic violence is not an elaborated policy field in Bolivia, as its forms and implications as a typology in relation to intersecting inequalities is not fully formulated and politicized. However findings demonstrate that there is recognition that rural indigenous and/or low-income women were particularly vulnerable victims of domestic violence as they lacked access to justice and social services; and this thesis ultimately presses for further research and policy development on domestic violence.