Women In Domestic Violence Shelters Research Articles

Protection for pets and people: The critical need for increased federal funding for pet‐friendly domestic violence services

AbstractThe research linking pet abuse with domestic violence is overwhelming. Pet abuse is a significant indicator that a human family member is suffering too. Further, victims are likely to become abusers themselves, perpetuating the intertwined cycles of pet abuse and domestic violence. Most women in domestic violence shelters report that their pet was also victimized. However, since few domestic violence shelters in the U.S. accommodate pets, victims must decide between leaving their pet to endure further abuse, or delaying their own escape. Current federal grants do not meet the demand for funding. This Note proposes an Amendment to the PAWS Act, requiring the federal government to match state contributions to projects that expand access to pet‐friendly shelters.

Assessment of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress of Women in Domestic Violence Shelters in Kurdistan-Iraq: A Cross-sectional Study

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of domestic violence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress with some socio-demographic characteristics among women who have sought sanctuary in domestic violence shelters. Materials and Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional design, employing different sampling methods to recruit a total of 46 participants. A convenience sampling method was used for the study group, while purposive sampling was employed for the control group. The primary data collection tool was a standardized questionnaire consisting of three validated scales: the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42). Results: The independent t-test analysis reveals highly significant differences between both groups (P≤0.001). The multivariate analysis has revealed significant differences among occupations in stress (P≤0.05), and significant differences were found in Relationship with family for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress (P≤0.001). Conclusions: Psychiatric disorders among domestic violence victims are very common, and the assessment of psychiatric disorders in domestic violence shelters is often overlooked or completely neglected. Physical, psychological, and verbal abuse are dominant types of violence suffered by shelter residents.

The Process of Empowerment Reflected in Women's Narratives of Their Stay in a Domestic Violence Shelter

Domestic violence shelters can provide services that are key to ending intimate partner violence. Yet, little is known about the process through which a stay in shelter increases women's ability to move toward the lives they want. The construct of empowerment has been used to gauge the effectiveness of intimate partner violence interventions and has been linked to a variety of positive outcomes. The present qualitative study analyzed nine in-depth interviews with women in domestic violence shelters to explore processes that occurred within the shelter stay that enhanced their sense of empowerment. A narrative methodology that situates personal stories within the broader social context was used. Four interrelated empowerment storylines were identified and involved self-reflection, gaining clarity, acquiring knowledge, and building community. Implications of these processes for shelter services are discussed.

The use of help seeking and coping strategies among Bosnian women in domestic violence shelters

Victims/survivors of domestic violence face a variety of decisions in determining whether and from whom to seek help. Although western literature on help-seeking is extensive, few studies have examined help-seeking behaviours of victims/survivors in post-war areas. The current study investigates use of help-seeking behaviours and coping mechanisms among women receiving services from domestic violence shelters in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the war. A total of 107 women across eight shelters completed pencil and paper surveys that explored formal and informal help-seeking behaviours and coping mechanisms employed to prevent and/or reduce victimisation. Help-seeking and coping strategies were organised into one of four categories based upon similar themes, including communication strategies, avoidance strategies, protection and resistance strategies, and safety planning strategies. Additionally, respondents were asked to assess what impact (that is, made the situation better, worse, or had no impact) utilised behaviours had. Communication and avoidance strategies were the most commonly reported behaviours. Safety planning techniques were less frequently reported, although victims/survivors perceived these as making their situation better, while trying to end the relationship or avoiding the abuser made the situation worse. These findings are similar to research conducted among victims/survivors residing in countries not directly affected by armed conflict. Interpretation of results, limitations, implications and future research are discussed.

Assessing Domestic Violence Shelter Workers Views and Practices Pertaining to HIV Prevention Services for Women Residing in Domestic Violence Shelters.

There is a need for studies to assess domestic violence (DV) shelter workers views about brief HIV prevention interventions for shelter residents to improve these workers' provision of HIV prevention interventions to shelter residents. This mixed methods study assessed DV shelter workers' views about the following: (a) the need for and appropriateness of HIV prevention services within DV shelters, (b) the utility (i.e., acceptability, systems support, understanding, and feasibility) of an HIV Risk Assessment and Safety Plan (HIV RASP) for women in DV shelters, and (c) suggested changes to or concerns about using the HIV RASP. Workers from DV shelters located in the 10 states in the United States with the highest rates of HIV reviewed the HIV RASP and answered survey questions about it including the Usage Rating Profile-Intervention (URP-I) Questionnaire and two open-ended questions. Although workers felt it was appropriate to provide HIV prevention interventions within DV shelters, only 23% reported that HIV prevention interventions had ever been implemented at their shelter and only 42% had provided residents with educational brochures about HIV prevention. Workers generally agreed that the HIV RASP was acceptable, understandable, and feasible. They somewhat disagreed about their ability to implement the tool independently. Findings suggest that little progress has been made in engaging DV shelter workers in HIV prevention efforts for residents during the past decade and reveal ways to improve the HIV RASP and overcome barriers to implementing it. The study findings may be used to help reduce gaps between the science and practice of HIV prevention for abused women.

Development of the Partner’s Treatment of Animals Scale

ABSTRACTAlthough studies of the relationship between animal abuse and intimate partner violence have proliferated in recent years, building upon previous work and making cross-study comparisons have been rendered difficult by the utilization of differing operationalizations of animal maltreatment within this literature. This paper aims to mitigate this problem by introducing and detailing a scale of animal maltreatment by romantic partners, developed and tested with a sample of 55 women in domestic violence shelters who self-identified as victims of intimate partner violence. The Partner’s Treatment of Animals Scale (PTAS) is comprised of five scales (emotional animal abuse, threats to harm animals, animal neglect, physical animal abuse, and severe physical animal abuse) that have strong demonstrated reliability. The construction of the scales is presented in this paper, and recommendations are made for employing the PTAS in subsequent studies.

Adapting an Evidence-Based HIV-Prevention Intervention for Women in Domestic Violence Shelters.

Despite the documented intersection of intimate partner violence and HIV, there is a paucity of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions for female survivors of intimate partner violence in the United States. This paper describes the adaptation of an effective HIV prevention intervention, Sisters Informing Sisters about Topics on AIDS (SISTA), for women in domestic violence shelters and the steps taken to improve the adapted intervention's implementation. The adaptation process was guided by the ADAPT-ITT framework and data collected from directors, direct client service providers, and residents of two domestic violence shelters located in urban areas, as well as topical experts. Eleven of 12 shelter staff (92%) reported that HIV interventions had never been implemented at their shelter and 64% reported they had not provided residents with educational brochures about HIV prevention. Changes made to adapt SISTA for this population and enhance the implementation of the intervention included reducing the intervention's duration; adding education about the intersection of intimate partner violence, substance use, and HIV; and adding an HIV risk assessment and safety plan. Next steps will include implementing the adapted intervention and evaluating its perceived acceptability and efficacy, and assessing whether contextual factors influence the intervention's implementation.

Supplemental Material for Adapting an Evidence-Based HIV-Prevention Intervention for Women in Domestic Violence Shelters

Supplemental Material for Adapting an Evidence-Based HIV-Prevention Intervention for Women in Domestic Violence Shelters

Acceptance of HIV Antibody Testing Among Women in Domestic Violence Shelters

The purpose of this study was to examine which factors derived from an adapted version of the Health Belief Model are associated with HIV testing among women at domestic violence shelters in the rural south (N = 112). Participants were administered self-report questionnaires to assess for test acceptance and were offered private and free HIV rapid testing. A logistic regression analysis was performed. Results indicated that higher perceived susceptibility and higher posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms predicted a greater likelihood of HIV test acceptance. The most common reason given for not testing was a lack of time. Implications are discussed.

The Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders in a Community Sample of Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious, devastating, and prevalent problem. IPV places women at risk for negative health consequences, including increased mental health disorders. The majority of research to date has focused on mental health disorders among women in domestic violence shelters, and research is needed that examines mental health disorders among a broader range of women experiencing IPV. Therefore, the present study examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance abuse disorders in a community sample of IPV victims (N = 94) using diagnostic interviews. Results showed that the majority of women met diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder, with PTSD being the most common mental health disorder. Furthermore, psychological abuse was a significant predictor of both PTSD and depression, whereas physical aggression did not predict these outcomes. Implications of these findings for treatment and intervention work with battered women are discussed.

Violence during Pregnancy: Investigating Infanticidal Motives

This study aimed to investigate whether potentially infanticidal violence by men toward their pregnant partners’ is motivated by jealousy, and hence paternity uncertainty. It was predicted that men who used potentially infanticidal violence (directing their physical aggression towards their pregnant partners’ abdominal region) would have younger partners as this is associated with greater reproductive value; would be in relationships of shorter duration as this may indicate less stable relationships; and would be more jealous and restrictive of their partner’s movements and friendships than violent men who directed their aggression to other regions of their pregnant partners’ body. Relationship behaviors were provided from 43 women in domestic violence shelters (n = 43), using measures of the following: (1) partner physical aggression (2) victim fear and injury, (3) areas of bodily assault (when pregnant and when not pregnant), (4) controlling behaviors, and (5) topics of disagreement. Violence directed towards the fetus was associated with shorter relationships where both partners were younger. In such relationships, there was more physical aggression from the male partner, he used more controlling behaviors to isolate his partner, and the partners had more disagreements arising from his jealousy, compared with when physical aggression was not directed towards the fetus. These findings are consistent with an infanticidal motive for men’s aggression directed towards their pregnant partners. If paternity uncertainty is a primary cause of this dangerous form of domestic violence, it should form an important element in any screening instrument.

Birth Control Sabotage and Forced Sex: Experiences Reported by Women in Domestic Violence Shelters

Women who experience intimate partner violence often experience birth control sabotage, forced sex, and partner's unwillingness to use condoms. We interviewed 53 women at four domestic violence shelters. Participants reported that their abusive partners frequently refused to use condoms, impeded them from accessing health care, and subjected them to birth control sabotage, infidelity, and forced sex. However, women also reported strategies to counteract these actions, particularly against birth control sabotage and attempts to force them to abort or continue a pregnancy. Domestic violence counselors can focus on these successful strategies to validate coping skills and build self-esteem.

Mental Health Disorders and Functioning of Women in Domestic Violence Shelters

This study investigates the presence of mental health symptoms and disorders reported by 74 women in a domestic violence shelter and the impact of those symptoms on function in work, school, and social encounters. Findings are compared to estimates of U.S. women generally, based on a national sample of over 65,000 women drawn from the 1995 National Health Interview Survey. The sheltered sample presents significantly higher rates of mental conditions and functional impairments affecting their work, school, and social functioning. These women are also less educated and poorer and use more health services than the U.S. population. Mental health conditions must be identified in shelters to improve functioning and facilitate independence from abusers.

The Voices of Black and White Rural Battered Women in Domestic Violence Shelters*

Abstract: Very little research has examined the experiences of Black and White rural battered women. In this exploratory study of 88 participants, 30 rural battered women who sought assistance from domestic violence shelters in southwest Virginia were interviewed. Black and White rural women's experiences in the shelters, helpseeking, and perceived social support during and after their stay in the shelter were compared. Future research directions and suggestions to improve services are presented.

Predicting the intentions of women in domestic violence shelters to return to partners: does forgiveness play a role?

Recent findings indicate that college women's forgiveness of hypothetical dating violence was predictive of their hypothetical decisions to stay in the relationship. This study was designed to evaluate the role of forgiveness in women's intentions to return to their partners from a domestic violence shelter. A sample of 121 women residing in both urban and rural domestic violence shelters filled out a series of questionnaires evaluating demographic information, severity of violence, attributions for violence, psychological constraints (or investment), and forgiveness of the partner. Forgiveness was found to predict intention to return to partner over and above the other variables studied. These findings suggest that the degree to which women are willing to "move on" from the abuse and to let go of their anger toward their partners may play a significant role in their intention to remain in a relationship with their partners.

Perceived abuse and disability in a sample of Ohio's women's correctional population.

The Abuse Disability Questionnaire was administered to 435 female inmates at a state prison in Ohio. Analysis indicated that 69% of the women reported some type of past physical, sexual, or psychological abuse, which is consistent with other reports for state prisons. Both the amount of abuse reported as well as the extent of associated psychological impairment was less in comparison to scores for women in domestic violence shelters. While all women in the prison were screened, those who met criteria for psychiatric diagnoses had significantly higher Abuse Disability Questionnaire scores than those who were not so diagnosed by a mental health professional. As in prior studies with the questionnaire, a significant relation between reported exposure to prior abuse and perceived impairment was found.

Gender Constructions and Violence—Ambivalences of Modernity in the Process of Globalization: Toward an Interdisciplinary and International Research Network

Previous articleNext article No AccessGender and September 11: A RoundtableGender Constructions and Violence—Ambivalences of Modernity in the Process of Globalization: Toward an Interdisciplinary and International Research NetworkLydia Potts Silke Wenk Lydia PottsDepartment of Political Science Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Women and Gender Carl von Ossietzky University (Potts) Search for more articles by this author Silke WenkCultural Gender Studies Department of Art and Media Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Women and Gender Carl von Ossietzky University (Wenk) Search for more articles by this author Department of Political Science Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Women and Gender Carl von Ossietzky University (Potts)Cultural Gender Studies Department of Art and Media Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Women and Gender Carl von Ossietzky University (Wenk)PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Signs Volume 28, Number 1Autumn 2002Gender and Cultural Memory. Special Issue Editors Marianne Hirsch and Valerie Smith Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/340878 Views: 39Total views on this site Citations: 3Citations are reported from Crossref © 2002 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Lisa R Muftić, Susan Hoppe, Jonathan A Grubb The use of help seeking and coping strategies among Bosnian women in domestic violence shelters, Journal of Gender-Based Violence 3, no.22 (Jun 2019): 199–214.https://doi.org/10.1332/239868019X15567219568874Lisa R. Muftić, Leana Allen Bouffard Bosnian Women and Intimate Partner Violence, Feminist Criminology 3, no.33 (Jul 2008): 173–190.https://doi.org/10.1177/1557085108318631Amy Novak Gendering Trauma: Ariel Dorfman's Narratives of Crisis and Reconciliation, Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction 48, no.33 (Apr 2007): 295–317.https://doi.org/10.3200/CRIT.48.3.295-317