NCJ Number
215847
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 21 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 579-595
Date Published
October 2006
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether sheltered battered women perpetrated stalking or other unwanted pursuit behaviors during relationship separations from their abuser and the impact on their psychological health.
Abstract
The data provide some support for concluding that battered women are not a homogeneous group. A subset of these women has engaged in unwanted pursuit behaviors, perpetrated stalking, made explicit threats, and begged their partner to return to the relationship. These battered women have some different characteristics than battered women who report stalking victimization only and battered women who report neither stalking victimization nor perpetration. This suggests that lack of assessment of battered women’s perpetration of stalking and unwanted pursuit behaviors may limit the ability to intervene successfully. This research was undertaken with the understanding that little was currently known about the extent to which sheltered battered women perpetrated stalking and other types of unwanted pursuit behaviors such as harassment and threats, as well as whether sheltered battered women’s perpetration of stalking and other pursuit behaviors was associated with changes in their psychological state while being sheltered. The study consisted of 113 women currently in residence at a large shelter for battered women in the southeastern part of the United States. The study discusses directions for future research, recommendations for shelter staff, and the potential treatment implications of these findings. Tables, references