Childhood protective strategies for adult daughters of abused women raised in rural areas

Abstract

AbstractThis qualitative study aimed to highlight the contextual nuances of childhood protective strategies from the perspectives of adult daughters of abused women raised in rural areas (N = 35). Children exposed to domestic violence courageously find ways to survive and persevere against adverse and harsh familial conditions. Thematic analysis of qualitative data produced three overarching themes related to participants' childhood efforts to protect themselves and their mothers: (1) seeking safety and connection (i.e., friends, pets, nature, school and extracurricular activities), (2) hiding and invisibility (i.e., physically hiding, reading, mental escapes and planning for the future), and (3) intervening and protecting others (i.e., diverting, mediating and opposing violence). The study's findings underscore the tenuous balance for female children exposed to domestic violence between seeking refuge from violence exposure versus challenging rural cultural norms of male dominance and female subordination. Implications for helping professionals include acknowledging how the rural context influences girls' coping strategies while addressing safety planning for themselves and their mothers.