The Triangle of Struggle: Violence, Disempowerment, and the Reality of Daily Life for Iraqi Women
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17605/cajssh.v6i4.1219Keywords:
Iraqi Women, Gender-Based Violence, Harassment, Tribalism, Disempowerment, Resilience RhetoricAbstract
Iraqi women have lived for decades under cycles of war, sanctions, dictatorship, and fragile democracy. While much scholarship has presented them as either resilient survivors or passive victims, less attention has been given to what women themselves identify as their most pressing daily struggles. This study investigates Iraqi women’s own perspectives, focusing on the struggles they named when directly asked about their biggest daily problems. By centering their voices, the paper aims to move beyond symbolic representations and document the lived realities of disempowerment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 Iraqi women aged 20–75 between September 2023 and March 2024, across Baghdad, Basra, Najaf, and semi-rural towns. Data were analyzed thematically, leading to the development of a “triangle of struggle” model. Ethical safeguards and anonymity were maintained in line with institutional approval. The findings reveal a triangular structure of struggle: violence at the apex, with harassment, tribalism and insecurity, regression, and daily burdens forming its base. Violence was reported as pervasive, while harassment restricted mobility, tribal dominance weakened legal protections, regression reflected fragile institutions, and daily burdens highlighted unemployment and exhaustion. These interconnected struggles reinforce cycles of fear and fatigue.
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