NCJ Number
64091
Journal
Victimology Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (1979) Pages: 292-299
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
ALCOHOLIC AND BATTERED WOMEN NEED HELP IN DEVELOPING POSITIVE SELF-IMAGES AND COPING SKILLS ACCORDING TO A CLIENT SURVEY OF THE HENNEPIN COUNTY ALCOHOLISM RECEIVING CENTER OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
Abstract
SEVERAL NEEDS ARE APPARENT IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO ALCOHOLIC AND BATTERED WOMEN. FIRST, MORE DATA IS REQUIRED TO COMPARE THESE WOMEN TO OTHER BATTERED WOMEN, WITH A FOCUS ON DEVELOPING AWARENESS OF SPECIFIC NEEDS. IN ADDITION, A UNIFIED APPROACH BY CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILY VIOLENCE WORKERS IS CALLED FOR, AND FLEXIBLE, SERVICE STRUCTURES ARE NEEDED. ABUSERS SHOULD BE CONFRONTED AND ENCOURAGED TO GET HELP WITH THEIR PROBLEMS. FINALLY, LEGAL ADVOCACY IS NEEDED TO PROTECT ABUSED WOMEN FROM FURTHER ASSAULT WHICH WOULD DIMINISH ANY STRENGTHENING OF SELF-CONCEPT THEY MAY HAVE FOSTERED BEFORE RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY. THESE CONCLUSIONS WERE REACHED AFTER 33 INTERVIEWS WITH BATTERED WOMEN SERVED AT AN ALCOHOLISM RECEIVING CENTER, INCLUDING BOTH VOLUNTARY AND INVOLUNTARY CLIENTS. ALL THE WOMEN HAD SUFFERED ABUSE FROM A SPOUSE (I.E., HUSBAND, BOYFRIEND, OR ACQUAINTANCE). THIS INFORMATION IS COMPARED WITH UNITED WAY DATA BASED ON A SURVEY AND INTERVIEWS OF VICTIMS IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM. ONE SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE CLIENT'S ABUSE WAS THE CASUAL NATURE OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VICTIM AND ASSAILANT, REFLECTED IN THE HIGHER PROPORTION OF BOYFRIENDS THAN HUSBANDS AMONG ABUSERS. THIS FACTOR WAS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT ON STAFF PERCEPTION OF THE VICTIM AND HER PROBLEM; SOME PERSONNEL VIEW THE WOMAN AS LESS DESERVING OF HELP WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VICTIM AND ASSAILANT WAS DISTANT. A MAJOR CONCERN WAS CREATIVE AND POSITIVE STAFF OFFERINGS OF ASSISTANCE TO HELP IMPROVE THE WOMAN'S SELF-IMAGE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RFC)