Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Safety Following Domestic Violence, Barbara Jo C. Kroening

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Police Responses To Domestic Violence, Kelly Rae Stout

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Domestic violence, also known as, intimate partner violence (IPV), has become an epidemic in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), about 24 women and men are victimized by an intimate partner each minute, equaling about 12 million victims every year (2012b). In recent years, the public has become more aware of IPV situations. An increase in public service announcements has helped to inform the public and has brought these dangerous situations out from behind closed doors. In the age of technology, information is more easily distributed and exchanged which has also increased public …

Examining Risk: Profiles Of Adult Male Perpetrators Of Intimate Partner Violence, Carolyn Carrier

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to examine risk profiles presented by men who have assaulted their partner versus those who have killed their partner in an act of intimate partner violence (N =526). Three groups of men were examined: men who have killed (DVDRC) and men involved in a batterer intervention program (BIP) either post-adjudication (CO) or as a part of a specialized pre-adjudication (EI) program for domestic violence offences. Twenty risk factors were compared across the three groups. Primary findings of the study suggest that men who kill their partners are different than men who did not and …

"This Is Not Just My Story; It's Part Of Who I Am": A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Of Battered Women's Identity Negotiations, Jessica Edel Harrelson

Dissertations

Over the past several decades, domestic violence has increasingly received more attention from both academic and local communities. Despite this attention, it persists as a significant social problem, suggesting that a full understanding of battering is still lacking. This dissertation examines women’s lived experiences with battering, what effect abuse has on how they come to define and interact with themselves, and subsequent negotiations of identity that occur within their relationships. To accomplish this, I conducted multiple in-depth qualitative interviews with fourteen women that were being served by a domestic violence agency in a rural part of the Midwest.

Within a …

Tracking Violence: Using Neighborhood-Level Characteristics In The Analysis Of Domestic Violence In Chicago And The State Of Illinois, Rachel Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social disorganization theory proposes that neighborhood characteristics, such as residential instability, racial and ethnic heterogeneity, concentrated disadvantage, and immigrant concentration contribute to an increase in crime rates. Informal social controls act as a mediator between these neighborhood characteristics and crime and delinquency. Informal social controls are regulated by members of a community and in a disorganized community these controls are not present, therefore, crime and delinquency flourish (Sampson, 2012). Researchers have focused on these measures of social disorganization and the ability to explain a variety of crimes, specifically public crimes. Recently, researchers have focused their attention to characteristics of socially …

Assessing The Impact Of The Court Response To Domestic Violence In Two Neighboring Counties, Gillian Mira Pinchevsky

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1970s, there has been a proliferation of research on domestic violence (DV). The majority of research, however, has focused on the correlates of DV and far fewer studies have examined the criminal justice system's approach to addressing DV. This is particularly concerning given that historically, the criminal justice system was rooted in English Common Law and tolerant of marital discipline to maintain household stability. Through the efforts of women's rights advocates, policy makers began devising innovative strategies for responding to DV, including provisions for mandatory arrests, no-drop policies, and the establishment of specialized DV courts. Although there has …

"There's No Escaping The Body" : Clinicians' Views On The Relevance Of The Body And The Use Of Body-Based Interventions In Work With Mother-Child Dyads Exposed To Domestic Violence, Danielle E. Sachs

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to examine if and how clinicians working with mother-child (0-5) dyads exposed to domestic violence perceived the body as being a part of treatment: Did they perceive the body as being a part of treatment; did they then make use of specific body-based interventions, and how were those interventions defined? Eleven clinicians participated in qualitative interviews to provide their perspectives on the relevance and integration of the body in dyadic clinical work focused on the attachment between mother child dyads exposed to domestic violence. Participants -- compromised of licensed and provisionally licensed …

Unequal Access : Gaps In Service For Gay Male Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence, Elizabeth H. Condrey

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explores the problem of gaps in intimate partner violence services for gay male victims of abuse and the implications for social workers and other service providers. Unequal access to appropriate, affirming, and inclusive partner abuse services is a widespread problem for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals and communities, and, for the purposes of this study, partner abuse specifically among gay men is considered. This study utilizes two theoretical models, intersectionality and cultural competency, to provide a guiding framework for service providers to use when assessing current services and implementing improved policies and procedures. Intersectionality …

Adult Attachment Styles Relative To Childhood Exposure To Domestic Violence : Gender Differences, Khadija A. Poitras-Rhea

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study is to answer the overarching research question: What are the attachment styles of adults who witnessed domestic violence in childhood. A secondary area of interest was to determine gender differences in the attachment styles of adults who did witness domestic violence during childhood. The participants were asked to respond to an anonymous survey that contained demographic questions and thirty six items from the Adult Attachment Web Questionnaire in order to determine their adult attachment style. The participants were placed in subgroups based on whether or not they had witnessed domestic violence and results were further …

Desire And Opportunity To Marry Among Black South African Women, Colleen Rebecca Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how demographic and attitudinal variables are associated with Black South African women's desire to marry. Data from the South African Social Attitudes Survey are used to measure the impact of age, education, living standard, religiosity, urbanicity, cohabitation, and attitudes towards woman's careers, the acceptability of cohabitation, gender roles, unwed childbearing, and the financial and emotional security marriage provides on the desire to marry. Analyses indicate the following are associated with the desire to marry among Black South African women: age, cohabitation, attitudes towards cohabitation, and attitudes towards the financial and emotional security marriage provides. Secondly, data from …

Adulthood Animal Abuse Among Men Arrested For Domestic Violence, Jeniimarie Febres

Masters Theses

The effectiveness of batterer intervention programs at reducing future intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is limited. Learning about perpetrators to more comprehensively address issues relevant to their aggressive tendencies could aid in the development of more effective treatments. This study examined the prevalence of adulthood animal abuse perpetration and its association with psychological and physical IPV perpetration, antisocial traits, and alcohol use in a sample of men arrested for domestic violence (N = 307). Forty-one percent (n = 125) of the men committed at least one act of animal abuse since the age of 18, in contrast to …

Domestic Violence In The Latino Community: The Struggles Latina Women Encounter Due To Societal And Geographical Disadvantages, Jennifer Rodriguez

Honors Theses

Domestic violence has been an epidemic in the United States since the colonization era. Public chastisement was deemed acceptable by law and Church because patriarchal views allowed men to treat women as their property. It was not until the 20th century, during the women’s rights movement, that the law recognized public chastisement as an inhumane act therefore punishing any man who battered his wife. As the movement progressed, women began owning their own property and divorcing their abusive partners. The downfall in this movement was that the majority of the women who benefited from these changes were Caucasian women from …

Supervision And Training Needs Of Practitioners Working In Batterer Intervention Programs, Heather D. Conley

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) seek to address violence in families by working with perpetrators in developing skills to remain nonviolent. The purpose of this study was to explore the supervision and training needs of practitioners who work in batterer intervention programs (BIPs). This study utilized qualitative data collected from hourlong, audio-recorded interviews with three BIP practitioners (one male and two female). Interviews were conducted in a large, Midwestern metro area over a period of three weeks, were transcribed verbatim, and coded for themes by the researcher. Major findings included: Participants were overall satisfied with quality of supervision, which was in …

An Examination Of Animal Service Officers' Views On Their Readiness To Recognize And Report Domestic Violence, Abigail M. Malick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the past few decades there has been research dedicated to understanding the roles that animals play within violent households. The American Humane Association (2010) has developed what they termed The Link. This concept examines how forms of violence, including domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and animal abuse, are often intertwined. This qualitative study was facilitated using focus groups and interviews of animal service officers in Orange County, Florida to evaluate the relationship and training provided from a local domestic violence shelter. There were a total of 22 Orange County Animal Services employees who participated in four different focus …

Intimate Partner Violence As A Risk Factor For Ptsd In Female Survivors Of Domestic Violence: A Meta-Analysis, Selena Tramayne

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct two meta-analyses investigating the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in female survivors of domestic violence. The first meta-analysis investigated the relationship between physical violence and PTSD symptomatology while the second meta-analysis investigated the relationship between psychological abuse and PTSD symptomatology. A moderator variable, recruitment setting, was investigated to see whether recruitment setting changed the relationship between physical violence and PTSD symptomatology and/or the relationship between psychological abuse and PTSD symptomatology. For both meta-analyses, a medium to large effect size was found. Recruitment setting was not …

Responses To Domestic Violence Public Service Ads: Memory, Attitudes, Affect, And Individual Differences, Courtney Elizabeth Welton-Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public service ads (PSAs) are an increasingly visible part of efforts to decrease the occurrence and consequences of domestic violence. Like other advertising, domestic violence PSAs are designed to grab attention, influence attitudes, and enhance memory for ad content. Over the years, images in domestic violence PSAs have changed substantially; agencies have started using pictures that generate emotions - either vivid negative images (bruised faces or body parts), or positive images (smiling faces) that contrast with the negative text. It is not clear, however, how different types of ad images influence memory for the message and attitudes about domestic violence, …

Domestic Violence, Border Control Measures, And Its Effects On The Immigrant Population In The Border Region, Heryca Serna

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Domestic violence is a serious issue that can be predominantly challenging for undocumented immigrants to surpass given their citizenship status in the country. Immigrant victims of domestic violence, in particular, are in a foreign country exposed to an unknown language, culture, and legal system, as well as being isolated from family, friends, or any other possible support systems. Due to these circumstances immigrant victims of domestic violence rarely leave their homes largely due to mistrust for law enforcement and service agencies. Limitations to recovery for undocumented immigrant women have substantial social and political consequences. The objective of this research is …

Forgotten Victims: A Qualitative Study Of Familial And Intimate Partner Abuse Of Male-To-Female Transgender Individuals In Central Kentucky, Allison Brooke Willingham

Online Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on intimate partner and familial abuse has focused on easily identifiable social institutions, such as "homosexual couple" or "mother/daughter." However, transgender individuals do not always fit into the binary social definitions ascribed to family relationships. Little research has provided insight into cycles of familial and intimate partner verbal or physical abuse in the lives of transgender individuals. The efforts that have been made have shocking results and demonstrate a need for further and more in-depth research. The primary purpose of this research is to gain a rich understanding of the social dynamics affecting the lives of transgender individuals …

Deconstructing The "Power And Control Motive": Developing And Assessing The Measurability Of Internal Power, Shelly Marie Wagers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the increased social recognition, law and policy changes within the criminal justice system, and the widespread use of court mandated batterer intervention programs (BIPs) domestic violence continues to be a persistent problem. The lack of significant decline in incidence rates along with a growing body of empirical evidence that indicates BIPs are, at best, only moderately effective raises serious concern. Effective policies and programs are based upon empirically tested theory. The assertion "the batterer's motive is power and control" has become fundamental to almost all of our currently used and accepted mainstream theoretical explanations regarding domestic violence. However, the …

Perception Of Counselor Cultural And Intimate Partner Violence Competence: As Perceived By Latina Survivors Of Ipv, Dellena R. Aguilar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) formerly known as domestic violence, is a chronic public health crisis affecting millions of women. Significant research has been generated related to the prevention and treatment of IPV; however, despite these efforts, there continues to be discrepancies in screening, referrals, and treatment of IPV which are compounded for ethnic minorities. Latinos are the fasting growing minority population in the United States, yet there continues to be a lack of public awareness and research related to Latina survivors of IPV. There are currently no studies exploring the subjective experience for Latina survivors of IPV in therapy.

The …

Legal Experiences Of Women Survivors Of Domestic Violence: A Need For Policies That Address The Justice Gap, Kimberly Ann Puhala

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The problems associated with the civil legal system for women who have experienced domestic violence have been persistent over time and still exist today. The current sociopolitical context in this state frames access to civil legal services either through a means-tested (and underfunded) program (Civil Legal Assistance) or as a privately purchased market service. This leaves a limited amount of low- or no-cost alternatives, which creates a gap in services for those women whose income is too high to qualify for Civil Legal Assistance programs, yet too low to afford to hire a private attorney. This study examines this two-tiered …

Determinants Of Clergy Behaviors Promoting Safety Of Battered Korean Immigrant Women, Yoon Joon Choi

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that not only are clergy members the first persons from whom battered women seek help, but also a great number of clergy counsel battered women every year (Martin, 1989; Rotunda, Williamson, & Penfold, 2004). The role of the church and clergy are especially critical for the Korean immigrant community in the U.S. because Korean immigrants greatly underutilize existing services and rely heavily on their respective churches for assistance with various issues, including domestic violence (Boodman, 2007; Kim, 1997). Korean churches and clergy members have the potential to be active partners in providing intervention services and to serve …

A Comparison Of The Wellness Levels Of Victims Of Domestic Violence With A Local Female Population, Tara Zeruie Harvey

Doctoral Dissertations

This research project is an investigation into the wellness levels of victims of domestic violence. Wellness was measured using the Five Factor Wellness Assessment by Meyers and Sweeney (2005). The research is grounded in a theoretical trifecta comprised of the works of Alfred Adler, Hiram Maslow and the global concept of wellness as defined by Jane Meyers and Thomas Sweeney. An exploratory factor analysis was run on the Five Factor Wellness Assessment to assess the goodness of fit for the population being studied. Wellness levels were assessed upon intake into a domestic violence shelter and compared with the national normative …

Dating Violence Victimization And Alcohol Problems: An Examination Of Social Support’S Stress-Buffering Hypothesis, Ryan Christopher Shorey

Masters Theses

Recent evidence suggests that victims of dating violence consume alcohol at greater rates than their non-victimized peers, placing them at risk for the negative consequences produced by alcohol use. Thus, research is needed that examines factors that protect victims from consuming alcohol. Toward this end, the present study sought to examine if perceived and enacted support served as stress-buffering variables of the relationship between dating violence victimization and alcohol problems among a sample of currently dating college students. Partial support was found for the stress-buffering effect of perceived support, but findings did not support enacted support as a traditional stress-buffering …

When Love Turns Lethal: A Content Analysis Of Intimate Partner Violence In Print Media, Ashley Maddox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study conducted a content analysis of newspaper articles in a Florida newspaper, the Orlando Sentinel. The study spanned across a five-year time period from 2004-2009, featuring 198 articles on domestic violence homicide. The current study is a replication of previous research conducted using the same newspaper during 1995-2000. Victim blame, tone, and descriptions of the perpetrator and victim were among several items of interest. Findings reveal a slight increase in victim blaming statements and a larger increase in positive portrayals of the victims of domestic violence homicide.

The Moderating Effect Of Adult Attachment Style In The Intergenerational Transmission Of Aggression In Marriage, Faith Rebekah Torres

Theses and Dissertations

Aggression in the context of marriage and family is a common and serious issue in therapy with couples and families. While it is known that aggression may be transferred across generations, the exact mechanism for how it is transmitted is not fully understood. This study presents adult attachment style as a moderator through which the relationship between family of origin aggression and marital aggression is developed. The present study examined Relationship Evaluation (RELATE) questionnaire data for 332 individuals. Anxious and avoidant attachment were examined as potential moderators between family of origin (FOO) physical aggression or parental hostile conflict style and …

How Social Workers Resolve The Ethical Dilemmas That Arise When Working With Women Experiencing Domestic Violence, Jennifer F. Wiech

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Though social workers come in contact with victims of domestic violence in a number of ways, studies indicate that social workers report feeling underprepared by their graduate education to address issues of domestic violence (DV). In an effort to reveal what is preventing social workers from taking a more demonstrative position on this issue, two focus groups comprised of 5 to 8 Master's level social workers were conducted to explore what resources aid in resolving ethical dilemmas, as well as the following ethical issues: upholding a client's right to self-determination, a clinician's duty to warn/duty to protect, mandatory reporting of …

Exploring Intimate Partner Violence Through The Lens Of Modern Attachment Theory, Lisa Marie Smeltzer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study used modern attachment theory as a framework for exploring intimate partner violence (IPV). It was the expectation of the researcher that using this framework would allow for a non-gendered approach; an approach that would be a step towards looking at IPV as the procedural enactment of an attachment style rather than as a victim/perpetrator dichotomy. Other studies have looked at intimate partner violence through attachment theory, though the unique factor in this study is its focus on affect tolerance. The purpose was to support or refute researcher's claims that affect regulation is predicated on one's attachment style. Using …

No M S Violencia: Family Conflict And Youth Aggression Among Latino Youth, Cathy Roche

Psychology Dissertations

This research examined the link between family conflict and youth aggression in Latino families. Attitudes toward aggression were tested as a mediator of this link, whereas family constellation variables (cohesion, responsibilities, birth order, and gender) were tested as moderators. This model was tested in a longitudinal community sample of 143 youth (study 1) and in a sample of 35 sibling dyads exposed to domestic violence (study 2). Differences between the two studies supported the notion that domestic violence and family conflict are distinct phenomena. For example, fairness did not have any main effects or interaction effects on behavioral outcomes in …

Deterring Bonds: Why She Can't Leave., Yolanda Cora Seidler

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Is it always true that the marriage bonds nurture love?

Domestic violence knows np boundaries it happens everywhere it touches everyone, regardless of age, income, level of education, occupation, race/ethnicity, and religious belief. For this study, because of its unique characteristics, the military community was selected. Some of its differences with the civil community as well as its response to victims, protection, rights, and the offenders accountability are discussed.