Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Psychology at Massey University.

This thesis discusses the author's research on general practitioners' discourses around domestic violence. Feminist theory and discourse analysis are used to examine answers given in a series of interviews, the results of which are the basis for the discussion in the thesis. The discussion lists types of discourses evident in doctors' talk, including liberal humanist, medical, and confession. The author argues that there are contradictions among these discourses which are shown through metanarratives and she highlights that doctors have fears and worries, feelings of inadequacy, and a lack of training in the area. The author maintains that, at times, doctors do not actively pursue domestic violence by asking women directly if they have been subject to domestic violence because they do not want to offend patients; they do not see violence as a medical problem, and they are concerned about not having the legal right to intervene.

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