On the Lived Experience of Battered Women Residing in Shelters

• NCJ Number: 226015
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2009 Pages: 95-109
• Author(s): Muhammad M. Haj-Yahia; Hilla Chaya Cohen
• Date Published: February 2009
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Indepth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 battered women staying at shelters in order to assesses various aspects of their experiences while staying at the shelter.

Abstract

The study found that most of the women attempted to gain the maximum benefit from their stay at the shelter in order to improve their situation. Seven of the women adopted the pattern of rebellion at various points during their shelter stay. For some, the rebellion was intense and prolonged, whereas others used rebellion as a stepping stone to developing constructive ways for dealing with their situation. Rebellion was often expressed through anger and lack of communication with the staff; others did not cooperate because of sadness and anxiety about their situation. The main complaint of the women was about their forced isolation from the outside world, about life in a communal setting, and about the way rules were enforced at the shelter; however, the women generally conformed to the rules and demands of the shelter and apparently complied with the authority exercised by staff. They did not criticize having to perform household chores; the time schedule; assigned duties; or participation in therapy groups, enrichment programs, and organized trips outside the shelter. Women’s descriptions of their states of mind while at the shelter ranged from fatalistic descriptions of a bitter fate to freedom of choice and from descriptions of helplessness to new opportunities for controlling their future. The most significant experience in the shelter was the women’s interaction with other abused women. They experienced a new freedom of communication and sharing of common feelings and experiences. Most of the women expressed satisfaction with their relationships with the staff, characterizing them as trusting, significant, and positive. Implications of these findings are drawn for future research and intervention with battered women. 1 figure and 34 references