NCJ Number
217015
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2007 Pages: 87-100
Date Published
January 2007
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study examined the formal and informal helping strategies within college sororities that help sorority women address their increased risk of experiencing violence in dating relationships compared with the general population of college women.
Abstract
The study found a general lack of appropriate formal and informal supports available within sororities to help their members deal with dating violence. This lack of sorority guidelines for addressing dating violence has led to a "barrier of silence" about the issue. There were no guidelines on how to help a sorority member who was in a violent dating relationship. Sororities need help in developing victim-centered policies that are flexible, that do not blame the victim, and that offer practical measures for sorority members confronted with dating violence. Community and campus-based programs on dating-violence education and services should give higher priority to outreach to sorority groups. This report offers several suggestions for research questions to be explored on this issue. This study involved 4 focus groups composed of 35 women who represented 17 different sororities. Focus group questions addressed sorority members' perceptions of the nature of relationship violence, including its definition; awareness of sorority policies or guidelines that pertain to assistance for members who might be in an abusive relationship, including safety plans for individual members or the sorority house as a whole; comfort level in helping someone who may be in an abusive relationship; awareness of university or community resources; and recommendations on how sororities can address relationship violence. 40 references