Building Bridges Between Activists, Professionals, and Researchers (From Feminist Perspectives on Wife Abuse, 1988, P 299-312, Kersti Yllo and Michele Bograd, eds. -- See NCJ- 142227)

• NCJ Number: 142242
• Author(s): S Schechter
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The intent of this chapter is to offer professionals and researchers a bridge into the battered women's movement, namely, an opportunity to learn the history and concerns of those committed to creating feminist services and working for radical social change on behalf of women.

Abstract

This chapter discusses the distrust and caution that grass roots activists in the battered women's movement have been forced to maintain toward professionals and researchers and outlines suggestions about more respectful ways to approach battered women and their grass roots service providers. Researchers and battered women's activists need to explore three troubling areas: differences over research priorities, differences in ideology, and ethics. Many grass roots activists hesitate to cooperate with researchers for several reasons: promises of confidentiality and payment and guarantees of safety have been broken; commitments to share and review findings have not materialized; and research studies with potentially significant impact on police and court practice have begun without any discussion with battered women's advocates. Researchers and grass roots activities can offer each other much if they can first build some trust. 3 references