Ecological Model of Battered Women's Experience over Time, Final Report

• NCJ Number: 213713
• Author(s): Mary Ann Dutton Ph.D.; Lisa Goodman Ph.D.; Dorothy Lennig Esq.; Jane Murphy Esq.; Stacey Kaltman Ph.D.
• Date Published: September 2005
• Length: 37 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2001-WT-BX-0001
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

This study examined the course of both intimate partner violence (IPV) and of employment and emotional well-being for victims of IPV.

Abstract

Findings indicate that intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by battered women is not uniform. Three patterns were identified as moderate, high without sexual abuse, and high with sexual abuse. Over one-third or 38.3 percent of participants reported reabuse during at least one 3-month period over the course of 1 year with most occurring during the first 3 months. The level of past year sexual and physical violence was associated with unemployment and income under the poverty level at baseline. Women who did not rely on the abuser for material resources, those who did not plan to continue their relationship with the abuser, and those perceiving a high risk of future violence were more likely to want a conviction. Although resistance and placating were the two types of strategies most commonly used by victims of IPV, they also rated the least helpful. The strategy rated most helpful was talking to someone at a domestic violence program. African-American women were significantly more likely to report using prayer as a coping strategy and less likely to seek help from mental health counselors than Caucasian women. Supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, this study was designed to expand our understanding of IPV victim’s experience over time. In identifying characteristics of the batterer or victim of IPV, this study identified contributors to patterns of IPV which are routed in the larger community and the battered women’s social support system. References