Help-seeking engagement among young female survivors of intimate partner violence: a qualitative inquiry
Date
2005
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Intimate partner violence occurring among adolescents and young adults is a disturbingly prevalent trend, although the actual statistical rates vary between studies (Avery-Leaf, Cascardi, O’Leary, & Cano, 1997; Callahan, Tolman, & Saunders, 2003; Foshee, 1996; Hickman, Jaycox, & Aronoff, 2004; Spencer & Bryant, 2000). Not enough research attention has centered on youth and intimate partner violence, especially regarding the contextual elements of violence within relationships and the help-seeking efforts of those victimized. Moreover, very few studies have taken a qualitative approach to attain a more complete understanding of intimate partner violence and help-seeking behavior in the words of survivors. This study seeks to address these gaps by presenting a qualitative analysis of intimate partner violence faced by sixteen female survivors, and their help-seeking engagement. The participant group consisted of university students screened for intimate partner violence, as well as young women from the community who had participated in a dating violence intervention program. ☐ Developmental, feminist, and resilience frameworks were selected to theoretically guide the interpretation of the findings. The primary research questions attempted to describe those help-seeking patterns. Additionally, this study attempted to elucidate the reasons why young women enlisted assistance or declined to help-seek from formal and informal sources of support, and to identify their perceived or actual barriers to obtaining assistance for intimate partner violence. In order to address these questions with a fuller understanding of contextual circumstances, the interview instrument was comprised of open-ended questions on a variety of topics, including: relationship context and intimate partner violence, help-seeking in context, perceptions of intimate partner violence, and recommendations and suggestions for other young women. ☐ More than 90% of the women reported active help-seeking engagement during the relationship, with many of them approaching more than one potentially helping source. Much of this assistance was sought from within their informal support systems, with the majority of help-seeking contacts occurring among their close friends. Reasons for and against help-seeking centered upon four primary themes: (1) Trusting relationship and established communication, (2) Negotiating insider-outsider perceptions, (3) Emotional comfort, and (4) Seriousness. Understanding the contextual meanings of intimate partner violence and the reasoning behind helpseeking engagement can inform outreach and intervention strategies. Utilizing young women’s existing styles of reaching out for help, and modifying informal and formal systemic approaches in order to encourage further disclosure is an important step in effectively assisting young survivors of intimate violence.