Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Who Is Helpful?: Examining The Relationship Between Personality Factors And Supportive Responses And Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence Victims, Christina Elisabeth Riley

Theses and Dissertations

Domestic violence perpetrated by men against women persists as a major human rights issue in the United States and around the world with some estimates showing that one in four women will be victimized in their lifetimes. Victims face many obstacles when they try to leave their abusive partners. A major barrier faced by victims is secondary victimization. Secondary victimization is the process in which informal (e.g., family, friends, etc.) and formal (e.g., police officer, judges, etc.) supporters re-victimize the victim by questioning the validity of the abuse, excusing the perpetrator, and blaming the victim. Because most victims seek help …