Experiences of Women With Services For Abused Spouses in New York City

• NCJ Number: 88214
• Author(s): E Connick; B Bryan; D Grayson; A Person; J Chytilo; R C Davis
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 166 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2671
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services; New York City Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
• Corporate Author: Victim Services
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Interviews with 112 battered women in New York City reveal some characteristics of women turning to outside helping services in the city, as well as the responses of helping agencies to these women.

Abstract

Most of the women in the sample had experienced long-term, frequent abuse and found leaving the home situation difficult, primarily because of financial dependence. Most had turned to the police for help, particularly minority women, and found officers were not consistently responsive, although they were becoming more senstitive to the problem. A total of 70 percent of the women reported using medical services at least once, usually from emergency rooms. Medical personnel, like police, need further training on domestic violence, as do court personnel. The women needed nonjudgmental, professional counseling or hotline services and the availability of more shelters (only 7 percent of the women had used shelters for battered women). The long-term response to the battered wives would be to provide employment opportunities for these women, half of whom were receiving public assistance when first interviewed. Services needed but not available for these women include day care, counseling for batterers, services for working victims, preventive services, and others. Charts and a description of research methods are included along with about 50 references.