Ending Intimate Partner Violence Among Latinas: <I>Aguantando No Mas</I>

Abstract

This study examined the psychological and sociocultural processes of Latinas leading to the decision to end an abusive intimate partner relationship using the qualitative method of grounded theory. There are few qualitative studies describing the experience from the perspective of Latinas and what factors may play a role in the decision-making process. Twenty-four participants were recruited from 3 agencies providing domestic violence services. Open-ended semistructured interviews and data analysis were conducted primarily in Spanish. Aguantando no mas or no longer choosing to endure emerged from this study as the central dimension in describing the decisional process of ending an abusive relationship. The participants' decision to no longer aguantar, or endure, occurred through a series of encounters with allies, the loss of hope that their partner was going to change, accessing available resources, and the final realization that their own well-being and of the children was being adversely affected by the abuse. The theoretical framework developed from this study can guide mental health professionals and health care providers in identifying areas for interventions for Latinas to ensure the safety and well-being of Latinas and their children.