NEGOTIATING RISK AND VIOLENCE: INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES AND INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION IN HONOUR-RELATED VIOLENCE : A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF SWEDISH POLICE AND SOCIAL SERVICES

Sammanfattning

Background: Honour-related violence (HRV) is a gendered and collective form of violence characterised by control and restrictions aimed at maintaining family honour. Previous research demonstrates that institutional responses to HRV in Sweden are shaped by differing institutional mandates and understandings of risk, while knowledge gaps remain regarding risk assessments and inter-agency collaboration in practice. Aim: The study aims to analyse how institutional norms within the police and social services influence the understanding, management and prevention of HRV. Method: The study used a qualitative design with semistructured interviews with ten professionals within the police and social services experienced in handling HRV-cases. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis informed by theories of moral regulation and street-level bureaucracy. Results: Three key themes were identified: 1) Shared understandings and the negotiation of boundaries in honour-related violence, 2) Differing risk assessments and their implications for intervention, 3) Institutional tensions and constraints in decision-making and collaboration. The findings demonstrate that the institutions construct and manage HRV through distinct institutional logics and understandings of risk. Risk assessments and classification are shaped by professional discretion and organisational conditions, affecting interventions and inter-agency collaboration. Conclusion: The findings suggest that responses to HRV are shaped not only by formal mandates but also by institutional constructions of violence and risk. Institutional logics, professional interpretations and organisational conditions influence which forms of victimisation become visible and prioritised in practice.