This dissertation examines the ways intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors' experiences of poverty, mental illness, social isolation, and gender inequality shape their opportunities to protect themselves and their children before, during, and after separating from abusive partners. Ethnographic research was conducted in three communities in the United States over two years. In each site I observed and interviewed women about their experiences of abuse and their attempts to achieve long-term security. I also observed and interviewed practitioners across a range of disciplines about their work with IPV survivors. The results of this study demonstrate that when women ended abusive relationships they often sustained a variety of losses related to their economic stability, social support, and access to their children. After leaving their batterers, many survivors faced debt, trauma, and protracted custody disputes that continued to disrupt their lives. However, the IPV interventions studied were routinely designed as though the collateral damage to an IPV survivor's life ended when she left her abuser. Interventions rarely accommodated survivors' post-separation social, economic, and parenting needs, and indeed, often placed additional strain on women's lives. As a result, the most disadvantaged survivors often found institutional resources in the domestic violence service system inaccessible, irrelevant, and at times counterproductive. This dissertation demonstrates that IPV is more than a series of isolated acts by individual people: it is the cause of many women's diminished agency and heightened suffering long after their abuse has ended.

Bakgrund: Våld i nära relationer är ett globalt problem med stora effekter på kvinnors hälsa. Tidigare forskning visar att våldsutsatta kvinnor upplever brister i det bemötande de fått av vårdpersonal. Akutmottagningen är ofta våldsutsatta kvinnors första, och ibland enda, kontakt med hälso- och sjukvård. Vårdpersonal på akutmottagning har därmed goda förutsättningar att uppmärksamma och vårda denna patientgrupp.   Syfte: Studien syftar till att beskriva vilka erfarenheter kvinnor som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer har av mötet med vårdpersonal på akutmottagning.   Metod: En systematisk litteraturstudie med kvalitativ innehållsanalys av sex kvalitativa artiklar och en artikel med mixad metod utifrån vilka tre kategorier identifierades.   Resultat: Kvinnor som blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer har både negativa och positiva erfarenheter av mötet med vårdpersonal när de söker vård på akutmottagning. Bristande bemötande visade sig genom att kvinnorna kände sig skuldbelagda och att vårdpersonalen uppvisade bristande empati och inte såg bortom kvinnornas fysiska skador. I motsats till detta har en del kvinnor upplevt tillfredsställande bemötande som visade sig genom att vårdpersonalen upplevdes som hjälpsamma och medlidande med en attityd som var empatisk och förstående.   Slutsats: För att främja ett gott bemötande från vårdpersonal gentemot den utsatta kvinnan, visade det sig finnas ett behov av kunskap och utbildning kring våldsutsatta kvinnors situation och vilka vårdbehov de kan ha. Ett gott bemötande ökar patientens känsla av delaktighet, lindrar lidande och motverkar att lidande uppkommer till följd av vård.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy can lead to a myriad of poor physical and psychological outcomes for both mother and child. There is a paucity of research examining IPV risk factors for rural pregnant women and on information regarding the course of the specific types of IPV throughout pregnancy. The current project was an investigation of the prevalence of IPV and IPV risk factors for different types of IPV in an Appalachian pregnant sample that contained women from both rural and nonrural locations (Study 1), and was an examination of the occurrence of any IPV and the different types of IPV throughout the course of pregnancy (Study 2). Study 1 included 1,063 pregnant women participating in the Tennessee Intervention for Pregnant Smokers (TIPS) research project. IPV prevalence rates during pregnancy, measured using a modified HITS IPV screen, were approximately 26% for psychological violence, 2% for physical violence, and 1% for sexual violence. Chi-squared analysis indicated that rural pregnant women were not significantly more likely to experience any of the types of IPV compared to nonrural pregnant women. Additionally, logistic regression analysis supported previous literature findings that pregnant women who are unmarried, younger, have an unplanned pregnancy, have high levels of stress, and have low levels of social support are at a greater risk of experiencing any type of IPV during pregnancy compared to pregnant women not possessing those risk factors. However, rural status was not a significant predictor or modifier of IPV. Study 2 participants included a subsample of 337 pregnant women who indicated they had experienced IPV at any time during the course of their pregnancy. Generalized estimating equation logistic models indicated that women who experienced IPV at some point during pregnancy were more likely to experience IPV during the third trimester. Both studies support the importance of screening for specific types of IPV throughout pregnancy. Information obtained from the current research is valuable to health care providers because it is important they are aware of IPV risk factors and that different types of IPV, especially psychological IPV, can occur at any time during pregnancy.

Recent national surveys in the United States estimate one in five females will experience abuse by an intimate partner during her lifetime. Previous quantitative research linked childhood victimization to repeated victimization in adult relationships. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of childhood in eight female victims of intimate partner violence who were born and reared in southern Appalachia. Interviews were analyzed using a descriptive-interpretative phenomenological method, as described by Van Manen. The three essential themes from childhood were identified as: living 'as if' an orphan; surviving in chaos; and, manifesting a devalued self. These themes were congruent with findings from quantitative literature regarding family violence. After analyzing the data, it was found that the Neuman Systems Model provided a comprehensive perspective for linking the data to a nursing theoretical framework that is used to guide practice, education and research; thus extending nursing science. Through increased awareness of personal stories, previous negative attitudes toward victims can be altered and behaviors changed, leading to improved nursing care.

Over one million women in the United States are physically, sexually, or emotionally abused by a partner or former partner every year. Women between the ages of 18 and 34 are the most likely to experience intimate partner violence (IPV), with prevalence rates for that group double the overall national average. Although the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended universal screening for all women of child-bearing age, compliance with this recommendation remains low. The present study examined the effectiveness of an asynchronous educational intervention to increase perceived knowledge, actual knowledge, and screening behaviors among 44 college-based health care providers. Data were collected using the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS). Results indicated that participation in the educational intervention did not have a significant effect on provider knowledge or screening behaviors. A positive trend was observed for perceived knowledge and knowledge regardless of treatment condition, but not for screening behaviors. The lack of significant findings may have been related to insufficient sample size and low power. Recruitment was challenging, despite multiple strategies and the offer of one free continuing education credit for all participants. Future research should explore how college health care providers prefer to engage in clinically informed research and whether IPV screening is viewed as an important clinical practice.

This research looks into the ways society, the media, and the criminal justice system influence the sexual values of individuals in the United States. These separate, yet interdependent, institutions have profound impacts on the attitudes individuals have towards sexual violence. The research explores the ways we are consciously and subconsciously consumers of messages that influence how we view a myriad of issues related to sexual expression. Additionally, this research highlights how various factors contribute to the rape culture prevalent in contemporary American society. Specifically, the research explores theories rooted in the psychopathology model and argues that while some perpetrators of sexual violence are mentally ill, this model and the treatment model which are often applied by society may inadvertently provide perpetrators of sexual violence a scapegoat. Additionally, the nature of the biological theory, often referred to as the “impulse” model, is another way American society permits perpetrators of sexual violence to blame their behavior on evolution and genetic predispositions (Levay & Baldwin, 2012). Also discussed is the advancements in technology and the media’s methods of portraying sexual violence in the news and how it profoundly impacts the sexual values of Americans (Waechter & Ma, 2015). In summation, this review of the literature, will investigate how the values of sexual violence also impacts the criminal justice system, the results of sexual violence trials, and how victims are treated in the system (Moylan, 2017). The impact of sexual violence does not just affect the survivors themselves. However, there are few studies on the impact of sexual violence on secondary victims, such as family members. The majority of the literature focuses on how to help the survivor through abuse, without attention to how family members work through their own trauma. There is literature that states, following the sexual assault of a family or loved one, family and friends often experience considerable emotional distress and physical and psychological symptoms that can disrupt their lifestyles and family structures (Cwik, 1996). Responses of family members to the assault, including shock, helplessness, rage and so on, which can "parallel the affective responses of the victim" in the acute post-traumatic period (Silverman, 1978, p. 169). Undoubtedly, the impact of sexual violence is significant for the entire family, and the experience of each survivor will vary.

abstract: In spite of numerous legal interventions and a fairly strong legal capacity compared to other neighboring countries, Zimbabwean law enforcement and judiciary have failed to overcome Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This research examines the role of customary law in the continued prevalence of IPV among Zimbabwean women, particularly, the subtle ways in which customary law legitimates the ideals of patriarchal domination in the communal and legal handling of IPV cases. The study utilized qualitative methodology in the form of structured interviews as well as pre-interview questionnaires. Eighteen women who identified as IPV survivors or victims were recruited using snowball sampling method whereby each person interviewed was asked to suggest additional people who were either present victims or survivors of IPV. Five lawyers from Chinhoyi, ten lawyers from Harare, ten police officers from Chinhoyi and ten police officers from Harare were identified using judgement or purposive sampling where subjects are chosen due to availability. The research established that IPV is a way in which abusers exercise their assumed patriarchal rights over women. Likewise, police officers are also influenced by attitudes and mentalities acquired from customary law in the way they handle IPV cases which resultantly leads to secondary victimization of IPV victims. The research concluded that much work still needs to be done by the judiciary, law enforcement and the community to combat the prevalence of IPV in Zimbabwe. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Social Justice and Human Rights 2019

This study sought to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence in adult committed, monogamous, same sex female relationships. Participants included lesbian or queer cisgender women, age 18 or over, who were in a current committed relationship of at least six months. Partnerships with local and national lesbian advocacy groups allowed electronic access to participants. A total of 87 participants completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire and the Abusive Behaviors Inventory. All participants were anonymous. The three examined variables included emotional/psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and physical abuse. These variables were entered into the Software Program for Statistical Analysis (SPSS) using correlational matrices, hierarchical regression, and one-way ANOVA analyses. Results from the data analysis will provide insight into the relationship of each variable on the presence of intimate partner violence in adult committed, monogamous, lesbian or queer cisgender relationships.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem that affects approximately 2.4 million individuals in the United States each year. Race, age, gender, and household income are established correlates of criminal victimization and diverge across various victimization experiences for these individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between IPV victimization and the demographic variables of race, age, gender, and household income using race, class, and gender theory as a framework. Logistic regression analyses on data from 3,492 adult male and 3,637 adult female IPV victims obtained from the 2013 National Crime Victimization Survey showed that race was not significantly associated with IPV, while age, gender, and household income were significantly associated. Respondents 65 years or older reported less victimization and men were 2.09 times at lower odds to experience IPV than women. Respondents in the household income category of less than $7,500 were 1.62 times at higher odds to experience IPV than were those in the $75,000 or greater income category. Positive social change could result from an increased awareness of circumstances related to IPV victimization so public health practitioners can work to reduce its incidence impacting individuals, families, and communities.

Seven professionals who worked with men sentenced for intimate partner violence in a psychosocial intervention project in Valencia were interviewed about motivational interviews. Motivational interviews can increase these clients' assumption of responsibility and motivation. The purpose of this study was to seek knowledge about the function of motivational interviews in an intervention with offenders. The method for the study was qualitative using a semi-structured interview. An inductive thematic analysis was used to code and analyze data. The analysis resulted in four themes: 1. Assume responsibility, 2. Motivation - a reason to change and to set a goal, 3. Strategies to motivate and 4. A bond. The respondents described the motivational interviews of use to bond with clients, to resolve their resistance and to deal with difficult feelings towards the clients. As professionals they considered that motivated clients had found a personal reason to change and had formulated a relevant goal. / Programa Contexto University of Valencia