NCJ Number
111950
Date Published
1987
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Three studies examined the perceived causes of and preferred treatment for battered women among service providers.
Abstract
A study of 500 service providers (police, social workers, judges, shelter personnel) provided some evidence for blaming the victim, but there was considerable variability among the perceived causes of abuse. Social workers were most likely to cite personality factors and to recommend counseling for both victim and abuser. The second study examined attitudes of 22 professionals and nonprofessionals who worked extensively with battered women. Respondents expressed considerable variation in how much importance they gave to personality, dependency and control, stress, alcohol abuse, family history, and social learning in the etiology of wife battering. The majority were careful to avoid labeling the abused and abuser and to emphasize the woman's right to self-determination. Shelter workers were likely to emphasize supportive victim counseling, while family service providers were more likely to advocate couple counseling. The final study of 274 programs offering services to battered women showed that crisis intervention was the most widely offered service, followed by emergency shelters, women's support groups and individual counseling, and legal and welfare advocacy. 5 references.