Mothers' Resilience: Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors at Work.

Rebecca Mccloskey,Kathryn Showalter,Kathryn Maguire-Jack

doi:10.3390/children9030373

Rebecca Mccloskey, Kathryn Showalter + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/children9030373

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Abstract

Mothers who experience intimate partner violence can be resilient in maintaining employment during periods of abuse. The current qualitative study examines mothers’ experiences of abusive workplace disruptions as well as helpful responses from workplaces. Two main research questions are addressed: 1. What ways do abusive partners use issues related to children to disrupt mothers’ employment? 2. How do workplaces respond to mothers experiencing IPV? How do mothers show resilience? Mothers (n = 18) receiving services for abuse explained that abusive partners disrupted their work through compromising or withholding childcare, manipulating them through children, and jeopardizing child safety during work hours. However, mothers showed resilience when coworkers extend housing, childcare, and genuine concern for their situations. Implications for researchers, practitioners, and employers of survivors are discussed.

Highlights

Employment instability or loss of paid work time and unemployment persists for weeks, months, and years in the lives of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors in the United States [1–3]
In a longitudinal study of the effect of IPV on employment trajectories, researchers found that experiencing IPV relates to unemployment six years after abuse occurred among mothers [4]
Mothers in the current study reported that their abusive partner was unwilling to assist with logistics of childcare in any way

Summary

Introduction

Employment instability or loss of paid work time and unemployment persists for weeks, months, and years in the lives of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors in the United States [1–3]. In a longitudinal study of the effect of IPV on employment trajectories, researchers found that experiencing IPV relates to unemployment six years after abuse occurred among mothers [4]. IPV survivors who are mothers may be more prone to experiencing unemployment. Previous research indicates that mothers who feel supported in the workplace may show resiliency and continue to stay employed despite abuser efforts to sabotage them [2,6]. The current study expands understanding of mothers’ employment instability by using a qualitative approach to clarify the effect of parenting-specific abusive workplace disruptions on employment status and the potential protective effect of workplace support from coworkers

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