"Although awareness of the pervasiveness and significance of partner abuse has been growing, little data exist on matching type of abusers with specific interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate one example of the empirically based typologies of partner abuse that could lead to improved interventions for abusers." / Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)

"Although awareness of the pervasiveness and significance of partner abuse has been growing, little data exist on matching type of abusers with specific interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate one example of the empirically based typologies of partner abuse that could lead to improved interventions for abusers." / Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 176-207). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [61]-67).

Dissertation (Ph. D.)--University of Akron, Dept. of of Sociology, 2006. / "May, 2006." Title from electronic dissertation title page (viewed 10/11/2006) Advisor, Kathryn M. Feltey; Committee members, Gay C. Kitson, Matthew Lee, Amy Kroska, Sandra Perosa; Department Chair, Mark Tausig; Dean of the College, Ronald F. Levant; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Submitted by Maria Creuza Silva (mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-09-04T12:31:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS. SUZANA DOURADO. 2013.pdf: 4504511 bytes, checksum: d4bcc211397174a77bd2f61a24f16e8f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Creuza Silva(mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-09-04T12:32:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS. SUZANA DOURADO. 2013.pdf: 4504511 bytes, checksum: d4bcc211397174a77bd2f61a24f16e8f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-04T12:32:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS. SUZANA DOURADO. 2013.pdf: 4504511 bytes, checksum: d4bcc211397174a77bd2f61a24f16e8f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / A presente pesquisa aborda experiências de vitimização feminina em relações conjugais violentas, estudando casos em que a violência física resultou em danos morais e/ou físicos ao rosto da mulher agredida. Foram objetivos do estudo: identificar as repercussões da violência entre parceiros íntimos às relações amorosas, familiares e sociais das mulheres agredidas; apreender, na perspectiva das vítimas, os significados das marcas consequentes à violência conjugal, bem como desvelar os possíveis caminhos percorridos pelos sujeitos de pesquisa para o enfrentamento da situação de violência conjugal e redução de danos à saúde. O estudo foi desenvolvido com metodologia qualitativa, em caráter retrospectivo, empregando a entrevista narrativa como técnica de coleta de dados. Os sujeitos de pesquisa somaram quatorze mulheres, com idade entre 27 anos e 52 anos, com história de dano facial decorrente de violência conjugal. O acesso a estes sujeitos se fez através de quatro órgãos públicos, sediados em Salvador, abrangendo quatro searas de atuação: esfera policial, assistência psicossocial, setor de saúde e uma instituição de ensino. As narrativas evidenciaram aspectos ligados às construções sociais de gênero na produção da conjugalidade violenta e que as marcas físicas e emocionais originárias da agressão estão imbricadas e, por conseguinte, tem repercussões tanto de caráter objetivo quanto na subjetividade dos sujeitos. A reverberação da convivência violenta atinge não somente o casal, mas se estende a outros membros do grupo familiar, sobretudo os filhos. Foram também reveladas dificuldades na articulação da rede de atenção à mulher, em funcionamento no município, tendo como resultado morosidade na redução dos danos gerados nos processos de vitimização. Espera-se com este estudo contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do fenômeno, como também agregar conhecimento para o seu enfrentamento. / Salvador

Limited research has examined desistance from intimate partner violence (IPV). In this thesis the aims are to explore the role that individual, social/environmental factors and subjective change (personal agency) play in the process of desistance from male perpetrated IPV, and to develop and examine a multifactorial theory of desistance from male perpetrated IPV. As research about desistance has tended to more prominent in the criminological literature and in relation to general offending and delinquency, the aim of the first part of this thesis was to undertake two critical reviews on desistance from violence and desistance from IPV. It was found that research in these areas has been neglected. It was concluded that a psychological approach to desistance is required whereby the findings are integrated into the models developed in the criminological literature, in order to develop a multifactorial theory of desistance. Specifically, it was found that pertinent to IPV, severity and frequency of violence was related to desistance and typology research indicated that personality characteristics might distinguish desisters from persisters. The nature of the dyad within which the IPV takes place was also found to be relevant specifically to the study of desistance from IPV and therefore, in need of further examination. In the empirical study, group comparisons on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III subscales were conducted between a purposive sample of 37 desisters, 50 persisters and 49 controls. It was found that Cluster A and Cluster B disorders and disorders at a diagnostic level were more often reported in the groups that had used violence against an intimate compared to the control group. The rates and percentages of clinically meaningful traits and disorders were lower for the desisters than the persisters. Overall the desisters were more like the controls than the persisters across the personality traits and clinical syndromes measured. In the qualitative study, thematic analysis was conducted on data derived from interviews with 13 desisters, nine persisters, nine treatment facilitators and seven survivors. A conceptual model of desistance was developed that demonstrated desistance from IPV is a dynamic process that gradually unfolds over time. The model comprised three global themes: (i) The cycle of lifestyle behaviours (violent): ‘Old way of being’ (the experiences, behaviours and thinking of the men when they used violence); (ii) Catalysts for change (the triggers and transitions experienced that initiated change); and (iii) The cycle of lifestyle behaviours (non-violent); ‘New way of being’ (the experiences, behaviours and thinking of the men when they stopped using violence). The integrated findings illustrate that the path from persistence to desistance is neither linear, nor shared by all IPV offenders. A complex interaction between structure and agency characterised the process. Future research needs to adopt a longitudinal design to gain a clearer understanding of the temporal sequencing of events leading to desistance, and also to determine whether the characteristics that differentiated the groups studied change over time. In addition, it is proposed that individual assessment is required for each offender of IPV. Treatment could then be developed to meet individual needs, which may increase the effectiveness of rehabilitation for IPV perpetrators.

Recent interest in the area of spouse abuse has resulted in many attempts to define and understand this problem. The present study reviewed the literature addressing spouse abuse, its various definitions and presumed causes. Theories regarding the cause of spouse abuse were presented in two groups: those focussing on society as the perceived cause of abuse and those on either men or women as precipitators of abuse. The purpose of the study was threefold. The first was to explore the relationship between gender and perception of spouse abuse. The second was to examine whether attitudes toward women varied as a function of perception of spouse abuse. Third, the study explored the relationship between situational variables and perceptions of spouse abuse. Finally, although not an initial purpose of the study, differences in perceptions of spouse abuse were compared among abused and nonabused groups.

This study was conducted for the Task Force on Domestic Violence in Seminole County whose purpose it was to study and address the problems of domestic violence. The data were collected by random digit dialing telephone interviews of a representative sample of 536 Seminole county families. The sample represented a .01% sample of the total population. The questionnaire was developed as a structured interview with unforced responses to many of the questions. Demographic information was also obtained on the respondent and members of the respondent's family. It was hypothesized that the Seminole County survey would yield family violence rates similar to those reported in national studies. The results of the study indicate that family violence in Seminole County appears to involve less than 1% of the population, a figure much lower than the statistics in the national studies.

This paper presents a survey of 422 college students at Virginia Polytechnic & State University on courtship violence. Those who experienced courtship violence were not different from those who had not experienced courtship violence in a list of background and experiential variables. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents were found to have experienced some form of abuse in their dating relationships in the past year. Twenty-nine percent of the respondents claimed they had experienced both abuse and violence in their dating relationships in the past year, and 1.7% of the respondents experienced the most extreme form of violence. Thirty-two percent of those who had experienced courtship violence would seek outside help when experiencing violence in their dating relationships. These individuals were those who got used to bringing somebody in to help settle conflicts, who felt humiliated after the violence, and who took no immediate action to reconcile after violence. Among those who did experience some form of courtship violence, 76.8% planned to continue the relationship. If courtship violence occurred in private and remained unnoticed to those individuals who love their partners more, who invest a lot in the relationships, who have higher commitment, who have more conflicts in their relationships, and who take initiative to reconcile the relationships after the violent episodes, the individual involved would be more likely to continue the relationship, despite the presence of violence. / Master of Science