NCJ Number
213067
Journal
Violence Against Women: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2006 Pages: 187-207
Date Published
February 2006
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed the experience of partner violence in the lives of adolescent mothers.
Abstract
The findings show how partner violence among young mothers occurs at a crossroads between adolescence and adulthood, rendering these young victims of violence at a unique place in which the needs and desires of the family of origin must be reconciled with the reality of the violent interpersonal relationship. Data were drawn from ethnographic interviews conducted with 30 adolescent mothers. Recruitment techniques included purposive and snowballing sampling. Of the participants, 13 reported experiences with interpersonal violence and it is these 13 interviews on which the analysis was based. Analysis of the interviews with the 13 young mothers who reported experiencing partner violence revealed 4 main themes: (1) physical proximity of family members; (2) chaos at home; (3) growing up in the shadow of abuse; and (4) making the relationship work. The interviews with the young survivors of partner abuse indicated that in most cases, the young women lived with extended family who would intervene in the violent relationship and offer protection and support to the women. On the other hand, the chaos created by constantly changing living conditions and by witnessing or experiencing violence as a child contributed to young women’s inability to escape violent relationships with intimate partners. Finally, in many cases, pressure from young women’s families worked to keep these young mothers with the violent fathers of their children. Religious and cultural norms and values influenced young women’s decisions to stay in violent interpersonal relationships. References