From the Voices of Women: Facilitating Survivor Access to IPV Services

• NCJ Number: 237364
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 17 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2011 Pages: 1226-1243
• Author(s): Catherine A. Simmons; Melissa Farrar; Kitty Frazer; Mary Jane Thompson
• Date Published: October 2011
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated perceptions women domestic violence survivors/victims have about why women do not seek help from formal support services.

Abstract

This mixed-method study investigated perceptions women domestic violence survivors/victims have about why women do not seek help from formal support structures and actions domestic helping agencies can take to facilitate survivor access to services. Congruent with previous research, quantitative analysis identified 17 reasons women do not seek help from formal support structures. Expanding current knowledge, concept mapping revealed six ways family violence programs can better reach women in abusive relationships, including (1) remove barriers to services, (2) improve comfort with services, (3) "talk about it," (4) improve community awareness, (5) victim-targeted marketing, and (6) "I honestly don't know." (Published Abstract)