Profiles of Women Survivors: The Development of Agency in Abusive Relationships

Systematic analysis of interview data for 6 African American and 4 European American women who were survivors of battering and who are marginalized in society indicated that the women used active strategies (e.g., social support resources) to preserve their sense of self and agency within the conditions of violence. Previous experiences of abuse and early entry into relationships made the women more vulnerable to abuse, and limited economic resources, high levels of stress, social norms, and lack of support resources contributed to the women's feeling of entrapment in their relationships.