Why women stay in violent relationships: a qualitative examination

¶ … Domestic Violence Research: A Qualitative Examination of Why Women Stay in Violent Relationships

The purpose of this study will be an investigational analysis of why women who are battered stay in violent relationships. The researcher will examine the current literature available and previous studies conducted of domestic violence in the hopes of gathering insight into the key issues influencing women's mental states and psychological well being when they are subjected to violence. The researcher will also conduct field research in the form of a survey questionnaire, and combine the information gathered from the literature study with the field results to provide a grounded theory that identifies what factors contribute to a woman's inability to leave a domestically violent situation.

Introduction

One of the most pressing questions that exists with regard to domestic violence is why don't the victims simply leave? (Davis, 1998:2). This intent of this paper is to examine why exactly women who are victims of domestic violence stay in potentially life threatening situations. There have been several theories related to the subject. Davis (1998) suggests that the mental state of victims becomes altered, preventing them from leaving without help. He further suggests that victims particularly women do not display psychologically normal mental states, and states that women are often left "intellectually incapable of making rational decisions" regarding their relationship, which may prevent them from leaving (Davis, 1998:2).

For purposes of this research proposal the researcher will attempt to answer the following questions: (1) what factors impact a women's mental status when in a domestic violence situation, (2) does the level of support a woman receives influence her ability to leave a violent situation, (3) what common demographic variables are evident in women who stay in violent situations. The researcher intends to combine information gathered from the field with information gathered from previous studies related to domestic violence in order to develop a theory that is grounded in scientific data.

Statement of Problem

The purpose of this study will be to examine domestic violence in an attempt to identify what factors are likely to influence a woman's decision to stay or leave a violent relationship. There have been numerous studies which support the potential theory that women who lack adequate social support are more likely to stay in a domestic violence situation than those who have adequate support (Thompson, et. al, 2000; Bogat, et. al, 2004). While there have been several studies that examine the impact domestic violence has had on women (Bogat, et. al, 2004; Thompson, et. al, 2000) few have actually identified what specific variables contribute to a woman's decision to stay in a violent relationship.

Identification of these critical variables is necessary is it may result in thousands of lives saved each and every year. If researchers can determine what factors encourage a woman to stay in a relationship, counselors and other social workers can work on better understanding a victims psyche and develop new methods and support options that may allow them to leave a potentially life threatening situation.

Background to the Problem

Domestic violence is a problem that is commonly ignored in part because the victims remain silent, and in part because the public simply wonders why the victims of such abuse don't simply leave relationships (Bogat, et. al, 2004; Kantor, n.d.). There are likely several different reasons that contribute to a woman's victimization and feelings of helplessness when she is in a violent situation. All or none of these factors may influence her decision to stay in a violent relationship.

Many women who are victims of abuse live in a state of denial that can prevent women from seeking out help when needed (Kantor, n.d). The most common form of domestic violence includes physical violence, though psychological violence including verbal abuse is not uncommon and equally as detrimental to women's health and well being (Kantor, n.d.). Among the risk factors for abuse include a history of violence or victimization (Bogat, et. al, 2004; Kantor, n.d.).

Women who are victims of domestic violence are much more likely to suffer form severe injury and even death if they do not get out of a domestically violent situation (Bogat, et. al, 2004). Much of the research conducted in the past suggests that a number of factors including demographic variables may influence a woman's decision to stay in a violent relationship (Thompson, et. al, 2000).

Theoretical Framework

This paper will attempt to demonstrate and describe what factors are most likely to influence a woman's decision to remain in a domestically violent situation, taking into consideration that social support may be a tremendous factor related to domestic violence. The researcher will then attempt to establish a social support theory related to domestic violence and provide a theoretical framework for describing why women remain in violent relationships.

Currently there are two primary theoretical frameworks that relate to the cause of domestic violence, the first of which suggests that the causes of violence include characteristics that focus on the individuals involved in abuse; these causes may include individual problems that are psychological and social in nature including poverty, substance abuse, unemployment, lack of education and even stress (Kantor, n.d.). Another theoretical framework suggests that domestic violence is caused by society at large, whose ideas are influenced by the 'pervasiveness and acceptability of family violence' (Kantor, n.d.).

The researcher proposes that women may fail to leave a domestically violent situation in part because of a lack of adequate social support due to several demographic variables, and in part because she fears humiliation and embarrassment at the prospect of leaving her committed relationship (Thompson, et. al, 2000). The researcher will also examine the notion that women may truly believe that their partner will change with time, which may prevent them from leaving their situation even in the face of violence.

Literature Review/Studies Analysis

Domestic Violence Defined

Before one can understand why women might stay in a domestically violent situation, they must first understand what exactly domestic violence is and who domestic violence impacts.

Davis (1998) defines domestic violence as the violence "that occurs between couples who are living together or once did live together in a conjugal-styled relationship" (p.2). There is adequate evidence to suggest that more than half of all married women or approximately 27 million women at any one time are beaten during their marriage, and approximately 1/3 of women are battered or abused repeatedly (Davis, 1998:3). Other studies suggest that 3 to 4% of families will admit that severe violence including kicking, punching or other forms of abuse exist within the confines of a relationship (Donzinger, 1996:156).

There is some evidence that suggests that victims of domestic violence have an altered mental state that becomes culturally conditioned to the violence, preventing them from leaving (Davis, 1998). There are others that argue that unconditional love is to blame, that "people really believe that love will fix everything" (Hart, 1997: A12).

There are many that have a difficult time empathizing with victims of domestic violence, which may influence an individual's propensity to leave their situation (Davis, 1998). Some studies suggest that women fear shame, humiliation and embarrassment thus are more likely to keep silent about the abuse that is occurring in their relationship (Donzinger, 1998). The extent to which these variables influence a woman's decision to stay in a relationship has not been adequately examined (Hart, 1997).

There is evidence suggesting that some people are more likely to become the victims of domestic violence than others (Schmit & Sherman, 1993). Violence can be considered a learned behavior, and ones reaction to it can be conditioned over time (Davis, 1998). Given this theory it is possible that some women are conditioned to stay in a violent relationship, whether as a result of learned behavior or as a result of variables that place them in the violent situation to begin with.

There is some evidence suggesting that interpersonal violence more often occurs in neighborhoods where a high concentration of poverty exists in neighborhoods (Gjelsvik, Pearlman, Verhoek-Oftedahl & Zierler, 2003).

Demographic Variables

There are numerous studies, which have been conducted which show a relationship between demographic variables including socioeconomic status, race and gender and victimization (Gjelsvik, et. al, 2003; Miles-Doan & Kelly, 1997). Many report that higher rates of domestic violence exist for black and Hispanic women, and significantly higher percentages of black women report victimization than white women (Gjelsvik, et. al. 2003).

Poverty is found to be a factor that influences victimization (Gjelsvik, et. al, 2003). Poverty may also be a factor which influences a woman's decision to stay in a violent situation (Miles-Doan & Kelly, 1997). If a woman fears that she will not have adequate shelter and lacks social support, whether due to economic factors or other factors, it is more likely that she will stay in a potentially abusive relationship if for no other reason she may feel like she has nowhere else to go (Gjelsvik, et. al, 2003). Poverty may be associated with a number of other variables including minority status and perceived self-esteem all of which may contribute to a women's propensity to stay in a violent relationship.

Among the negative effects of living in a violent relationship include increased depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress (Bogat, et. al, 2004). There is some evidence that suggests that social support may influence a woman's reactions to domestic violence, and may in fact influence whether or not a woman decides to stay or leave a relationship (Bogat, et. al, 2004). When support exists it is related to a positive outcome more often than not for women (Bogat, et. al, 2004). There are some studies that find that women who are in violent relationships often lack positive support role models and even when they do they are reluctant to ask for help (Bogat, et. al, 2004).

There is adequate empirical evidence which suggests that most battered women tend to be socially isolated and thus do not have a readily available network of people they can rely on for support and encouragement when faced with a violent situation (Bogat, et. al, 2004). This may perhaps be the single most telling factor related to woman's victimization. Numerous studies have supported the notion that women who are victimized rarely have access to adequate social support systems that can help them overcome a violent home life (Thompson, 2000).

There are many different theories that exist as to why women in violence situations may lack adequate social support system. Reasons for this may be varied, but may include the fact that their partner may isolate them in order to control them, or that women are afraid to reach out for support for fear of embarrassment and shame (Bogat, et. al, 2004). Some women may also not believe that they would receive help even if they wanted or needed it, perhaps as a result of the abuse received time and time again from their partner (Bogat, et. al, 2004).

Summary of the Literature

There is ample evidence which suggests that a number of factors contribute to a woman's susceptibility for domestic violence. Among the key factors related to domestic violence include a woman's social support structure, socio-economic status and perceived sense of self-esteem and self-worth (Bogat, et. al, 2004; Thompson, 2000). The exact relationship between all of these variables needs to be examined in greater detail so that researchers can identify specifically what factors are implicated in a woman's inability to leave a harmful situation.

Methods

Data Collection Measures

Data will be collected anonymously from participants through use of either an online or paper surveys. Paper surveys will be distributed among health care organizations and shelters that specifically cater to the needs of abused populations.

Procedures

Participants will be recruited from 10 sites that have programs designed to assist women who are battered. Women will be asked to participate in a research study via use of a flyer. Women will be screened for eligibility. Interviews will be conducted on site or via email. Each participant will be mailed a consent form that describes the survey, the importance of the research and their role in the research. They will be asked to consent to providing information for purposes of the study, and informed of their option to remain anonymous for the duration of the study.

Access to Site

The researcher will need to contact the 10 sites designated for purposes of this research 1 month in advance of field research surveys in order to determine whether or not research can safely and conveniently be carried out in the environment presented.

Researchers Role

The researchers primary role for purposes of this study is observatory. The researcher will attempt to observe the patterns that exist among domestic violence women over time in order to develop an explanatory theory that centers on women's reasons for staying in a potentially life threatening situation. The researcher intends to face many challenges while conducting the research, including the participants lack of willingness to provide adequate information regarding their abuse history to the researcher.

The researcher will not offer clinical advice or information to participants other than to provide them with detailed information regarding the studies purpose and intended audience.

Reflexivity of Approach

It is important for purposes of this research that the researcher remain as objective as possible. There are a number of feminist approaches that are directed toward violence studies that may result in greater subjectivity than desired for purposes of this study.

Logistics

The researcher intends to carry out the research required for this proposal within and eight-month time frame. The first couple of months will be dedicated to comprehensively examining the research available on domestic violence with particular emphasis on examining any studies that measure or examine the mental state of women who are victims of domestic violence.

The timeline for completion of each aspect of this reseach is as follows:

Prepare more comprehensive literature review and examination of all similar studies that examine the relationship between domestic violence and female self body image, self-esteem and well being.

Obtain permissions to use any copyrighted material for questionnaires.

Begin collecting information on women's personal experiences through use of survey questionnaires. Completion of field research portion of the research proposal.

Construct theoretical framework.

Write Review of the literature chapter.

Prepare Oral Defense of material.

Deliver final proposal to committee.

Conclusion

Domestic violence is a problem that has existed since the dawn of time. The implications of any research that focuses on aiding victims of domestic violence is tremendous. If the factors that contribute to a woman's inability to leave a violent situation are identified, social support workers can start working on methods that will encourage women to get the support they need to remove themselves from a potentially life threatening environment.

The results of the preliminary research review point in favor of inadequate social support and several demographic variables as contributing significantly to a woman's reasons for remaining a victim in domestic situations. Further research needs to be conducted to determine the extent to which social support and other factors such as poverty and racial origin may impact a woman's decision to stay in a violent relationship.

This research is supported by numerous empirical and clinical studies which confirm that domestic violence is in fact on the rise, and that victims tend to remain silent (Thompson, 2000; Bogat, et. al, 2004). If women who are victims are truly to find the help they need, the critical factors that contribute to their decreased mental state and inability to leave a harmful relationship must be examined. The research conducted will provide results that identify the key variables that are most likely to influence a woman's decision to stay in a violent situation.

Limitations

The study is limited in a number of ways. It will focus predominately on women living in shelters or women who have sought out help for domestic violence whether from healthcare facilities or social support networks, thus it may not be possible to generalize the material and findings to women in domestic situations that have not reported violence (Bogat, et. al, 2004). The largest group of women experiencing domestic violence is believed to be those women who have not reported violence and are living in a violent situation (Bogat, et. al, 2004) however it would be nearly impossible to survey this portion of the population.

Bogat (2004) points out that the specific effects of varying forms of support including practical support would be challenging to examine independently. The study will attempt to examine what aspects of a woman's background and demographic status may impact her desire to leave a violent living situation.

The study is also limited to a relatively small sample size. A small sample size is necessary given the time constraints available for completion of this project. Additional research will be necessary on the subject in the future to confirm whether or not the information gathered from this study can be generalized to the public at large.

Contributions Research Will Make

This study will aim to fill a gap in the research that currently exists with regard to domestic violence queries. Specifically the researcher will aim to identify what critical factors may influence a woman's decision to stay in a relationship that is potentially hazardous to her health. The information gathered from this research can be used by health officials and law enforcement agencies to develop better programs for counseling and supporting women who are victims of domestic violence in the hopes that they will reach out and end the cycle of violence that impacts their lives.

Implications of the Research

The results of this research will impact the field of domestic violence by providing a grounded theoretical framework from which to counsel victims of abuse. The research can be modified and adapted by future researchers whose aim is to discover better treatment methods for women who are victims of violence.

Appendix

Interview Questions Supplemental Interview Questionnaire

Do you believe that you are a victim of domestic violence?

Do you love your partner even though you are abused?

What factors do you feel contribute to your desire to stay in a relationship with a violent partner?

If provided with adequate social support, do you feel that you would leave your current situation?

Do you feel your financial situation restricts your ability to leave your current situation?

Do you feel like you would stay in a relationship even if the abuse became life threatening?

Have you been abused in the past in any way?

Do you feel education would help prevent future violence?

Do you feel you have an adequate social support system?

Do you think that the violence you are subjected to will stop on its own at some point?