Domestic abuse against women has been a concern among feminist theorists, scholars, and activists. Although the issue of domestic abuse is a popular research topic, what is often neglected is an analysis of how the experiences of newcomer women differ from other women who experience partner abuse. While domestic abuse is inflicted upon women of all cultures and from all economic classes, the experiences of newcomer women are unique. While there are many research initiatives that investigate the complexities of domestic abuse, one area that is less researched is that of domestic abuse as experienced by newcomer women. Examining the data collected from semi-structured interviews with Winnipeg police officers, social service providers, and survivors of intimate partner violence, this study explores the questions: ‘What layers of vulnerability do newcomer women face when trying to extricate themselves from abusive partnerships, and how may Canadian laws and social policies exacerbate their susceptibility?’

Intimate partner abuse is a prevalent social concern which causes long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive effects on survivors. Studies suggest that spirituality is a useful resource for individuals recovering from trauma related to intimate partner abuse, however, more research is needed to understand the intricate ways spirituality contributes to the recovery process. Through a qualitative approach, this study examines the ways in which women who have experienced intimate partner abuse use spirituality in the process of coping and recovering. Open-ended interviews were conducted with eight women who have experienced intimate partner abuse and identified spirituality as an essential part of their lives. The results uncovered specific belief systems underlining each participant’s sense of spirituality, as well as practices, rituals, and behaviors they engaged in during their experiences in coping and recovery. Participants reported spirituality as a means of reclaiming one’s sense-of-self and as fostering empowerment in the aftermath of intimate partner abuse. They also indicated that spirituality fostered forgiveness and self-compassion, and helped them cope with the long-term effects of trauma including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. / Graduate

This thesis is comprised of two separate studies, the first of which set out to examine the Intimate Partner Abuse behaviour and attitudes of young Australian students. Intimate Partner Abuse (IPA) may be defined as a pattern of deliberate physical, sexual, or psychological abuse within a married, de-facto, dating, or courting relationship (Miller & Bukva, 2001: Victoria Health Promotion Foundation, 2004). Specifically, Study One aimed to explore the IPA attitudes of Australian students and examine the relationships between these attitudes with a view to provide theoretical guidance for understanding how negative IPA attitudes may be maintained. A total of 400 students (male = 99, female = 301) with ages ranging from 15 to 25 years (M = 19.38, SD = 2.04) participated in Study One. Participants completed the Conflict Tactics Scale - Revised (CTS2; Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Surgarman, 1996), which measures the number of times respondents have experienced physic al and psychological abuse over the previous 12-month period. Attitudinal questionnaires were also completed by participants, including a measure of IPA victim blame and endorsement of IPA myths. Overall, rates of IPA among the present sample were consistent with those reported in overseas samples, with over 85% of women reporting being the victim of psychological abuse in the previous 12-months, and over 30% having been the victim of physical abuse. Lower scores on measures of victim blaming attitudes were associated with more positive attitudes towards women and less endorsement of IPA myths. These findings implicate the importance of addressing attitudes towards women and commonly held IPA myths within IPA prevention programs for young people. Study Two evaluated a brief educational program for Australian Technical And Further Education (TAFE) and high school students, which was selected and modified on the basis of a literature review of published program evaluations and the findings of Study One of this thesis. The program, titled Through New Eyes: Exploring the Hidden Dynamics of Domestic Violence (Hunter Women's Centre, 2003), aimed to inform the IPA attitudes of students and comprised of videos and discussion questions. A quasi-experimental pre-post design was used with a non-randomised experimental and control group. The program was evaluated using a questionnaire measure of participants' attitudes as well as their experience of the program. There were 98 students who consented to participate in Study Two, 48 (male = 26, female = 22) of whom fulfilled all the requirements of participation and were included in the results of the study. Participants' ages ranged from 14 to 25 years (M = 16.91, SD = 2.12). Several statistically significant desi rable changes were observed among participants of the program, however there were similar changes observed among control group participants. Study Two provides some support for the effectiveness of the Through New Eyes program in informing the attitudes of young Australians. However, it is recommended that future research evaluate this program in combination with skill building programs in order to assist students to translate attitudinal changes into behavioural ones.

Objectives This thesis aimed to investigate the relationship between intimate partner abuse and suicidality, to deepen our understanding of the factors and mechanisms involved in increasing suicide risk in this group. This investigation was carried out using the framework of the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model of Suicidal Behaviour (O’Connor, 2011), and this research aimed to act as a test of this theoretical model. Method In order to achieve the above objectives, two major studies were conducted. These were prospective studies, with Study one being exploratory and utilising a large scale survey design, and Study two carrying out an in-depth investigation. These studies utilised a general population sample consisting of both males and females, and compared those with and without experience of intimate partner abuse. Both studies are reported over two chapters, one focusing on the relationship between intimate partner abuse and suicidality, and the other reporting the testing of the IMV Model. Results This research identified a number of key aspects relating to intimate partner abuse which are involved in increasing suicide risk within this group, such as the frequency of the abuse experienced, levels of control within the abusive relationship, and severity of stalking and harassment behaviours experienced. Investigation of the key elements of the IMV Model revealed that perceptions of internal entrapment play a significant mediating role in the relationship between intimate partner abuse and suicidality. In addition, social support and future thinking were found to act as moderators of this relationship. Conclusions This research makes a valuable contribution to the understanding of intimate partner abuse and suicidality, and highlights a number of important issues with regards to the conceptualisation and measurement of IPA. It has also identifies the importance of considering aspects such as stalking, perceptions of internal entrapment, and levels of control within relationships, when investigating suicidality within this group. This research used the context of IPA and suicidality to test the IMV Model, which has significantly increased out understanding of suicidality in relation to IPA. The IMV Model was shown to be a useful framework for understanding this relationship, however limitations of the model were identified. Further research is needed to test the model further and to explore the relationship of some of the elements within the context of IPA and suicidality.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / The year 1994 has important historical meaning for South African citizens. The 1994 election marked the beginning of a new nation and a time of freedom and democracy. As part of the change to a democratic society, the rights to gender equality and women's rights were incorporated in the development of the new constitution. However, although our constitution provides a clause on women's fundamental rights, women abuse is still a pervasive problem of enormous magnitude in South Africa. South Africa has a strongly entrenched patriarchal system, which makes men in terms of gender dominant and women subordinate.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / South Africans live in one of the most religious yet most violent societies the world over, with gender-based violence (GBV) against women in intimate relationships flagged as a national priority. Traditionally, and rightfully so, intervention programmes focused on women victim-survivors of intimate partner abuse (IPA). While intervention programmes for men who perpetrate IPA emerged more recently and signify an important paradigm shift in conceptualizing solutions to IPA, the literature reveals a gap in research about the role and influence of religiously pervasive contexts in communities where some of these programmes operate. South Africa claims to be a secular state; however, around 90% of its population are religious and close to 74% are affiliated with the Christian faith. Literature indicates that men who perpetrate IPA often use easily misinterpreted scriptures and religious teachings to justify their abusive behaviour.

While the old adage of “it takes a village…” is often stated in reference to raising children, this statement is also extremely applicable in combating social problems such as intimate partner abuse (IPA). All too often society members turn a “blind eye” to abuse occurring within our homes between intimate partners. Although recent research has shown improvement in attitudes condemning IPA, other research has identified that many individuals continue to perceive IPA as largely a private problem (Bethke & DeJoy, 1993; Straus, Kaufman Kantor, & Moore, 1997). This commonplace belief stands in stark contrast to the vast amount of research that shows IPA is anything but a private problem. In order to halt these occurrences, various intervention programs have been implemented (i.e. batterer intervention programs, mandatory arrest policies, etc.). However, less effort has gone into creating programs to prevent abuse in the first place (Harvey, Garcia-Moreno, & Butchart, 2007). In order to fulfill this need, Harbor House of Central Florida (Orlando, FL) created one notable primary prevention initiative referred to as Project Courage. Launched in 2010, Project Courage staff flooded an Orlando neighborhood (Pine Castle, FL) with IPA services. The following evaluation details Project Courage’s successes, challenges, and provides recommendations for the future. The data used in this evaluation were made available by Harbor House of Central Florida, and have been used with permission from the agency and from the University of Central Florida’s Institutional Review Board. Data from Project Courage were originally collected by the agency’s Prevention Department. First-year funding for the project was provided by the 100 Women Strong giving circle located in Orlando, Florida. The collector(s) of the original data, the funder(s), and their agents or employees bear no responsibility for the analyses or interpretations presented here

Defines State Hope Scale.

Little is known about intimate partner abuse (IPA) in divorcing Hispanic parents and how divorcing Hispanic parents utilize legal, social, or community services in regards to their experience of IPA. Research has identified many barriers for Hispanics attempting to access these services, including lack of knowledge of laws and services, lack of access, discrimination, and language barriers. This study aimed to understand the underlying dyadic structures of IPA and how such abuse affects the utilization of civil court processes in addition to social, community, and health services. Data sources included records from the civil court and mediation services, self-reports of intimate partner abuse, and law enforcement records. This paper focused on a subsample from a larger study and included 187 Hispanic couples and 467 non-Hispanic White couples. Results revealed differences between groups in terms of coercive controlling behaviors and their relationship with other forms of IPA. The strength of the relationship between coercive controlling behaviors and IPA victimization was equal for Hispanic husbands and wives, and also equal to White husbands' IPA perpetration, but had a weaker relationship between White wives' IPA perpetration. Overall Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White couples had similar interactions with the civil court system, ranging from time to complete the divorce and interactions with the court after divorce. Within the Hispanic group, couples with at least one partner preferring Spanish were significantly less likely to complete the divorce process, and had fewer contacts with the court after the divorce was finalized. Hispanic couples who were identified as experiencing IPA were significantly less likely to utilize certain helping services, but not others. Possible explanations, limitations, and future directions are explored.

Domestic violence is an important problem in theory and in practical context. It is a serious social concern with high level of latency and this is why we still need to talk about it. An each family member, can be a victim in most of cases women are victims. This thesis also focuses on male victims of spousal violence. A violence is different for each of these groups which is described in this thesis. This thesis is divided into seven chapters. The introductory chapter is focused on the historical context of domestic violence. This chapter analyses the status of the victim and also deals with new convention of Council of Europe - Action against violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul convention). The second chapter explains what the domestic violence is and types and characters does it have. It is impossible giving a precise definition of phenomenon domestic violence. On the other hand, we can find attempts to define the domestic violence and some of these are mentioned in this chapter. Domestic violence tends to be cyclical when the periods of calm, tension and violence alternate, which is also decribed in this chapter. In the third chapter are described individual forms of violence: physical, psychological, sexual and economic. These forms include lots of instances of violence. This...