The majority of research on wife abuse and dating violence neglects women's personal experiences and focuses on the extent and nature of physical abuse. Feminist researchers, however, stress the significance of both recognizing women's voices and acknowledging all forms of abuse against women. The purpose of this study was to enhance the understanding of women's personal experiences of being in an abusive, heterosexual relationship by asking women to write narratives describing their experiences. Nine women, between the ages of 27 and 46 years and who had left their abuser, participated in this study. The relationships had become abusive within 2 weeks to 2 years of their beginning, though most became abusive within several months and one was always abusive. All but one of the women reported receiving help in leaving the relationship. The themes that arose from the stories are important because they indicate what these abused women deem important or relevant to their experiences. While valuable, much of past research has neglected to focus on what abused women deem significant. The five themes that emerged from their stories are abusive aspects of relationships, characteristics of the abuser, respondents' reactions to abuse, abuse as a private act, and support and advice. / Master of Science

Abused women are frequent users of health care services. Yet, battered women often do not identify the health care delivery system as a resource. The present study surveyed 155 female associate and baccalaureate degree nursing students from three mid-Atlantic universities in order to examine how selected personal and relationship variables affected their attitudes toward battered women. It was hypothesized that those students who had an early exposure to family violence combined with high levels of egalitarianism and perceived control over life events would be more sympathetic toward battered women than those who did not. Instruments used to measure the chosen variables included the Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale, the Conflict Tactics Scale, the Family Violence Scale, the Perceived Control Scale, and the Inventory of Beliefs about Wife-Beating. Data were collected via anonymous self-report questionnaires and analyzed through the use of correlation and hierarchical regression procedures. Nursing students with more egalitarian sex role beliefs and perception of control over their life events were more sympathetic to battered wives than those students with more traditional sex role attitudes and less perceived control over their life. Sex role egalitarianism was found to be the best predictor of attitudes toward victims of domestic violence. Contrary to expectations, there appeared to be little relationship between the level of violence experienced by students in their families of origin or in their current relationships and sympathy for battered wives. Findings from this study will add to the current nursing knowledge base regarding attitudes of one group of health care professionals toward victims of domestic violence by exploring those attitudes and by identifying which of the chosen variables was most predictive of those attitudes. Implications for nursing education include an examination of the impact of gender issues on personal and professional behavior as well as the importance of empowering nursing students through the use of a competency based practice model. / Ed. D.

Not available / text

This study examined the relationship between perceived social support and negative mental health outcomes in battered women. Correlations between perceived social support and depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder were analyzed. Perceived social support, particularly from family members, was found to be significantly related to mental health outcomes. Results indicate that agencies that work with battered women should include social support in the assessment and intervention processes. The study utilized a quantitative survey design with a sample of 120 battered women from four domestic violence agencies throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Quantitative data analysis procedures, such as multivariate analysis and logistic regression, were used to further examine variables. Samples of the instruments used in the study are included.

This study aimed to document the extent of domestic violence among a community sample of women of South Asian origin in the United States, and to investigate sociocultural factors associated with domestic violence in this population. It also investigated the extent of informal and formal help-seeking among women of South Asian origin who are victims of domestic violence and sociocultural factors associated with their help-seeking. The sociocultural factors of isolation (measured by ties with family, friends, and social and cultural groups, as well as ties with spouse/partner), perceived social support, acculturation, and patriarchy were used to predict abuse and help-seeking. Both paper and Web surveys were used to collect data from a cross section of South Asian women residing in the United States of America. In total, 215 cases were included in the multivariate analyses. Most women in the sample were highly educated. Based on the Conflict Tactics Scale -2, results indicated that 38% of the sample experienced psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or injury from abuse in the past year. Psychological abuse was by far the most prevalent form of abuse (52%), but 48% of the women who were abused experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, or injury. Isolation, as measured by ties with spouse/partner, and perceived social support predicted both abuse and help-seeking. Isolation, as measured by ties with family, friends, and social and cultural groups, also predicted help-seeking. Of the women who reported seeking help, the use of informal help sources (e.g., family, friends) was more prevalent than the use of formal resources (e.g., doctors, counselors, battered women’s shelters). The study contributes to the research by providing empirical data on the extent of abuse and help-seeking behaviors of women of South Asian origin in the United States. Among the study’s practice and policy implications for preventing domestic violence is a need to reach out to South Asian women in the community to insure that they are not isolated and know that support is available. The study also suggests that outreach to men is necessary in order to improve relationships with their spouses/partners that may lead to reduced abuse. The information will contribute to designing culturally appropriate interventions to prevent domestic violence and help South Asian women victimized by domestic violence. / text

Not available / text

A quantitative study that examines American Muslim women's level of exposure to domestic violence, resources available to them, and the effect of domestic violence on their psychological well-being. Data was collected from 128 Muslim women from the Islamic Center of Riverside in Southern California. The key finding of the study was a significant positive relationship between depression and the use of verbal aggression. In addition, a positive relationship was found to exist between anxiety, depression and the use of violence.