NCJ Number
252869
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: 2018 Pages: 251-256
Date Published
2018
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study identified the needs of American Indian women in a domestic violence shelter in Arizona, highlighting the researcher-practitioner partnership that made it possible to gain access to these victims.
Abstract
American Indian women across all ages are significantly more likely than women of other ethnic groups to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Despite their increased risk of interpersonal violence, however, there are few published studies or reports that explicitly examine the needs of victimized American Indian women, so neither researchers or service providers know very much about the multifaceted needs of victimized American Indian women and whether current community services are meeting their needs. Identifying such needs is a logical next step, so that victim service agencies can develop and effectively provide services tailored to victimized American Indian women. Drawing on survey responses from 37 American Indian female clients and interviews with 10 staff members, the findings of the current study reveal that the domestic violence agency service provider is meeting many of their needs. Findings also indicate that clients have a wide variety of specific personal needs (e.g., safety, housing, transportation), needs relating to their children (e.g., safety, education, socialization), community needs (e.g., relating to their tribe), as well as legal needs (e.g., help obtaining a restraining order or divorce). These multifaceted needs are discussed in this article, and recommendations are provided for successful researcher-practitioner partnerships. (publisher abstract modified)