An advocacy intervention program for women with abusive partners: Six-month follow-up

Presented the 6-month follow-up findings of an experimental intervention designed to provide postshelter advocacy services to women with abusive partners. The intervention involved randomly assigning half the research participants to receive the free services of an advocate, 4 to 6 hours per week, for the first 10 weeks postshelter. One hundred forty-one battered women were interviewed about their experiences immediately upon their exit from a domestic violence shelter: 95% of the sample were interviewed 10 weeks thereafter (postintervention), and 93% were successfully tracked and interviewed 6 months later. At the 6-month follow-up, participants in both groups reported increased social support, increased quality of life, less depression, less emotional attachment to their assailants, and an increased sense of personal power. Although women in both groups reported some decrease in physical abuse over time, there were no statistically significant differences between those with and those without advocates, and abuse continued to be a problem for many women. Those who were still involved with their assailants continued to experience higher levels of abuse and had been more economically dependent upon the men prior to entering the shelter. Women who had worked with advocates continued to report being more satisfied with their overall quality of life than did the women in the control group. The authors thank the Editor and anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. Thanks also to all present and past staff of the Community Advocacy Project, who helped in data collection and analyses. This work was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant 1R01 MH 44849.     

SUBJECT TO ROMANCE

Safer sex campaigns directed at heterosexuals have increasingly targeted women to encourage them to take responsibility for condom use. It appears, however, that many women are unable or unwilling to accept this role. In this article we report on one particular kind of obstacle that some women face in initiating condom use. We draw on data from interviews with 14 women, aged 22 to 43 years, about their experiences with, and views of, condoms. There was considerable variability, as well as commonalities, among the women interviewed in the way they regarded condoms. Using a feminist poststructuralist form of discourse analysis, we explored two women's accounts of being unable to initiate condom use despite their stated intentions not to have intercourse without a condom and having condoms in their possession. We suggest that this particular dynamic results from the passivity women can experience through being positioned in a discourse of heterosexual feminine sexuality in general and a discourse of heterosexual romance in particular. We discuss how this passivity can be experienced by women who are otherwise assertive and committed to sexual equality, making it confusing and disconcerting for them and others.     

An advocacy intervention program for women with abusive partners: Initial evaluation

Experimentally tested the hypotheses that (1) battered women are in need of numerous community resources upon exit from a domestic violence shelter, (2) working with advocates increases women's effectiveness in obtaining needed resources and social support, and (3) success in obtaining resources and social support increases women's levels of life satisfaction and decreases their risk of further abuse. The initial findings of a short-term intervention project designed to provide postshelter advocacy services to women with abusive partners are presented. One-hundred forty-one battered women were interviewed immediately upon their exit from a domestic violence shelter as well as 10 weeks thereafter. Half the sample was randomly assigned to receive the services of trained advocates who assisted them in accessing needed community resources. Women who worked with advocates reported being more effective in accessing resources and had higher levels of social support and overall quality of life postintervention. Although all women reported some decrease in postshelter abuse, there were no differences between those with and those without advocates, and abuse continued to be a problem for many women.     

Condom use by prostitutes: behavior,factors and considerations

119 female prostitutes were interviewed over the period July 1990-March 1991 about their sex behavior and condom use, their working attitude, and perception of risk in an attempt to combine qualitative and quantitative research methods to gain insight into the determinants of condom use in prostitution by putting high or low risk taking behavior into context. The participants were recruited from different regions of the Netherlands, of mean age 29.8 years, and had been working in the field for an average 6.8 years. Most of the 28% of participants who did not have Dutch nationality were from Germany or Latin America. Health locus of control and attributions concerning an unpleasant proceeding of client contacts were assessed by means of item lists. Prostitutes were identified as either consistent condom users, selective risk takers, or risk takers. Consistent condom users used condoms on all occasions, selective risk takers used condoms for vaginal sex with all but a few selected clients, and risk takers seeing no possibility of consistently getting clients to use a condom for vaginal sex used condoms the least frequently. 78% were consistent users, 11% were selective risk takers, and 11% were risk takers. Protection behavior was found to be linked to working attitude. Condom use is most likely among women with a moderately positive, yet businesslike, working attitude, and least likely among those with a negative working attitude and when there is no positive identification with the professional group. It appears that health locus of control is of no influence on protection style, but risk takers attribute an unpleasant proceeding of client contacts significantly more to powerlessness and helplessness. The authors conclude that the objective situation of women influences condom use at least as strongly as subjective motivations.     

Unraveling the Voices and Identity of Farm Women

In this qualitative study I explored how rural farm women construct, negotiate, and perform gender identity in their everyday lives. To understand this process, 22 farm women located on family farms in Southwestern Ontario were interviewed. Differences were found between those women who were raised and socialized on farms and women who were born in the city. Women who worked off-farm had another experience when they returned to the farm from their workplace. Collectively the women took on the farmwork that was expected of them. They learned to adjust to the lifestyle and ways of farming. The ideology of agrarianism and separate spheres helped to delineate ways of being and doing that maintained their strong yet traditional and submissive sense of self.     

The Need for an Awareness of Specialized Issues in Counseling Alcoholic Women

Because of the increase in the number of women seeking treatment for alcoholism in recent years, it is essential that counselors give careful consideration to how this client population can most effectively be helped. Three counselors from the Alcohol Institute of the Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, were interviewed for this article. Their perceptions and experiences as alcoholism counselors are integrated with some of the current research on alcoholic women to provide a framework for professionals in a variety of settings to develop an awareness of the specific issues affecting alcoholic women and to begin to address these issues with their clients.     

Rehab Retrospect: Former Prostitutes and the (Re)construction of Deviance

In this study, in-depth qualitative interviews with former street prostitutes currently in an outpatient drug rehabilitation program are utilized to examine the transition out of prostitution and from a deviant to a non-deviant identity. Little extant literature explores the relationships between stigma management and desistance as prostitutes attempt to exit the industry. This research finds that while in rehab, the women activated meanings of their previous drug addiction both as a stigma management technique and as a cognitive process that distances them from the prostitute identity. They conceptually bundled their prostitution identity with that of drug addiction, ultimately reinforcing that they completed the transition out of deviance.     

Surviving breast cancer: Women's experiences with their changed bodies

In this study, we explored women's experiences with their bodies following treatment for breast cancer. Eleven women who had been treated for the disease (M_{time since treatment} = 4.45 years) were interviewed. Data were collected and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith et al., 2009). Four main themes emerged from the data: changing visibly and invisibly; experiencing intense thoughts and emotions; meaning of the body: a vehicle of health, well-being, and social expression; and managing and dealing with physical changes. Overall, the women experienced various physical changes that shaped, mostly in a negative way, their perceptions, thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and beliefs about their bodies. The women described attempts to make positive lifestyle behavior choices (e.g., diet, participate in physical activity), and used other strategies (e.g., wigs, make-up, clothes) to manage their appearances and restore positive body-related experiences. Based on these findings, it is important to be cognizant of women's body image concerns following breast cancer given the poignant and lasting effects they can have on their psychosocial and emotional well-being.     

Writing about patients: II. Patients' reading about themselves and their analysts' perceptions of its effect

Thirty American analysts who have published articles that include clinical material were interviewed about their methods for ensuring patient confidentiality. Eight of these analysts had patients who had read about themselves or heard their cases presented, though their analyst had not requested permission to use this material. Eighteen patients had been asked and gave their consent to have their material used. Twelve of these patients were shown the material written about them. The analysts' thoughts and reactions to their experiences of obtaining consent and having their patients read material about themselves, and of disguising material without asking consent and then having it inadvertently discovered and read by their patients, are discussed. Their views of the effect on their patients of reading written material about themselves are elaborated with case illustrations.     

Nonfatal Suicidal Behavior Among Chinese Women Who Have Been Physically Abused by Their Male Intimate Partners

Three hundred fifty‐three women (median age = 32 years) admitted to the emergency rooms of nine general hospitals serving rural areas in China were interviewed for nonfatal suicidal behavior. Spousal conflict was the most commonly reported cause for their suicidal behavior and one third of respondents reported being victims of physical abuse by their spouses. Compared to non‐abused women, abused women were younger, had more disturbed family relationships, and experienced less financial hardship and more divorce. No differences were found between the groups in the proportion who reported psychiatric symptoms or in the level of suicidal intent; however, abused women were less impulsive and expressed more sadness at not having been successful in ending their lives.     

New parents at work: Jobs, families and the psychological contract

Interviews with seven women and six men who had recently returned to work after becoming first-time parents were carried out to examine experiences of the policies, practices and attitudes of their employers towards new parents, and to assess how far they felt able to discuss their circumstances and changed expectations with their managers. Findings pointed to considerable differences in the attitudes of employers to the men and women. Almost all the women had changed to part-time work, but arranging this had not been easy and some had found it difficult to come to terms with a difference in status. Many of the respondents had reservations about discussing their positions and altered expectations with their managers, and it seemed unlikely that mutually beneficial psychological contracts could be negotiated without changes in organisational cultures and policies. The findings have implications for our understanding of organisational careers and for career-planning interventions in organisations.     

The 90's: gender differences in AIDS-related sexual concerns and behaviors,condom use and subjective condom experiences

To evaluate gender differences in the subjective experience and use of condoms, 193 heterosexual patrons at 13 bars in New York City were interviewed on site in 1991. Most respondents were single, middle class, and White; their ages ranged from 18 to 51 years. The data analysis was restricted to the 155 men and women who had at least 1 new partner in the 3 years preceding the survey. Respondents worried most about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) when engaging in sex with a new partner. 86% indicated concern about AIDS had affected their sexual behavior, most often by increasing their condom use and decreasing casual sex. 91% of women and 79% of men said that condoms give them greater peace of mind. Women worried more than men about AIDS when they had a new sexual partner and were more likely to limit their number of partners, work harder on an existing sexual relationship, give up casual sex, or give up sex with new partners. Men's subjective condom experiences were related to their penile functioning (erection and ejaculation) and the threat of loss of sexual pleasure. Multiple regression equations revealed that, among men, condom use with new partners was associated with worrying about AIDS and younger age; among women, peace of mind was a positive predictor. With casual partners, more partners led to increased condom use among women and worrying about AIDS was a predictor for men; peace of mind was predictive for both genders. 53% of men compared to 21% of women expected to meet a new sexual partner at the bar where they were interviewed, and 36% of men and 19% of women were carrying condoms with them.     

Attitudes Toward Prostitution and Acceptance of Rape Myths1

Rape myths and prostitution myths are a component of culturally supported attitudes that normalize violence against women. Prostitution myths justify the existence of prostitution, promote misinformation about prostitution, and contribute to a social climate that exploits and harms not only prostituted women, but all women. This study investigated the relationship between prostitution myth acceptance and rape myth acceptance in a sample of university undergraduates. Rape myth acceptance was positively correlated with prostitution myth acceptance among 783 university undergraduates from California, Iowa, Oregon, and Texas. College men were significantly more accepting of prostitution myths than were college women. Results suggest that acceptance of prostitution myths are a component of attitudes that justify violence against women.     

Impact of chronic illness: Differing perspectives of younger and older women

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the life experiences of six women with chronic illness who represent three differing life stages. The participants included two women who were in young adulthood, two who were between the ages of 40 and 60, and two women in their late 70s. The women were all diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, or a combination of these disorders. They were interviewed concerning the impact illness has had on their lives, the manner in which chronic illness has altered their self-perceptions, and the ways in which they have come to make meaning from the event. While the women had achieved varying levels of acceptance of their illness, it appeared that the ability to cope was dependent on numerous factors across several life circumstances. Distinctions were made regarding ability to either adjust to the illness or use the experience as a catalyst for personal growth.     

Coping with Intimate Partner Violence: Battered Women's Use and Perceived Helpfulness of Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies

This study investigated intimate partner violence (IPV) victims' emotion-focused coping efforts, as well as their retrospective ratings of the perceived helpfulness of these efforts, in the context of a longitudinal study of battered women's experiences over time. Four hundred and six primarily African American, low-income battered women who had experienced IPV within the previous 12 months were interviewed. Patterns of coping use and perceived helpfulness were explored. The correlation between prevalence of use of emotion-focused coping strategies and perceived helpfulness of these strategies was examined, and results showed that the strategies used by more battered women were less helpful in dealing with feelings about abuse. Implications for clinical interventions with battered women are discussed.     

Student Changes, Program Influences, and Adult Development in One Program of Counselor Training: An Exploratory Inductive Inquiry

This qualitative study explored how students in 1 program changed as a result of their professional preparation experience. We interviewed 15 counseling students via one-to-one interviews and a focus group. Students were asked how they had changed and what had influenced those changes in their educational experience. Responses were clustered with the assistance of a text analysis computer program. Three broad change themes were named (1) increased reflexivity, (2) increased autonomy, and (3) capacity for dialogue. Four program influences were also identified. They are providing students with (1) experiences in social construction of knowledge, (2) experiential learning, (3) opportunities for independent thinking, and (4) a supportive environment. Connections to adult-development themes and specific instructional strategies that are suggested by the data are named.