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Study examines IPV survivor strategies among black women
Black women who experienced intimate partner violence reported three distinct types of survivor strategies: internal, interpersonal and external, according to recent findings.
“There's this stereotype that African-American women who experience abuse are probably reacting to it a certain way, but there is a range of responses,” Noelle M. St. Vil, MSW, PhD, of the University at Buffalo, New York, said in a press release. “Some fight back, some turn to prayer, some turn to family and friends, and others turn to law enforcement or other outlets.”
To assess survivor strategies used by low-income black women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV), researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 survivors who reported IPV in the past two years. Study participants had a mean age of 35 years.
Internal strategies women used included religion or self-reliance.
Many women reported their belief in god, religion or both helped them cope or overcome violent abuse.
Some women reported getting a job or pursuing a degree to gain independence and escape the relationship.
Interpersonal strategies included leaving the abuser temporarily or permanently or defensive violence.
Some women left temporarily at the onset of an abusive situation and others decided to leave the relationship permanently.
Women used defensive violence to resist IPV or reduce violence inflicted upon them.
Many women reported relying on family, friends or members of the community. Women relied on siblings, parents, grandparents, cousins, friends and sometimes the abuser’s family.
In addition, many women reported using community resources such as hospitals, domestic violence organizations, police and other community organizations.
Hospitals were used as a last resort when medical attention was necessary, according to researchers.
“One of the things we need to think about is the bystander intervention piece of intimate partner violence. We hear about bystander interventions as it relates to sexual assault on college campuses and how we get kids to intervene, but we also need to think about that with intimate partner violence,” St. Vil said in the release. “If we can talk to families as they come into the hospital, explaining to them the nature of intimate partner violence, we can explain how to best assist a loved one by explaining how to intervene when they see things starting to escalate. We need to equip everyone with the skills to adequately address intimate partner violence and help those who are experiencing it.” – by Amanda Oldt
Disclosure: Please see the study for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.