Observations From Practice: Support Group Membership as a Process of Social Capital Formation Among Female Survivors of Domestic Violence

• NCJ Number: 223764
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 19 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 676-690
• Author(s): Lisa Young Larance; Maryann Lane Porter
• Date Published: June 2004
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article explores the authors’ practice observations of female domestic violence survivors’ journey from first agency contact to active participation in a support group process.

Abstract

The observations of female domestic violence survivors journeying from first agency contact to active participation in a support group process suggests that these groups provide abused women the opportunity to establish trust and build networks. Group member actions and statements have demonstrated that those relationships and networks are easily called on outside the agency’s confines for support or for enjoyment. This social capital that many women form as a result of their group participation also provides them with a framework for building future trustful networks. Once a woman enrolls in a domestic violence service agency, initial assessment of her access to supportive networks of family and friends often reveals varying degrees of social isolation and damaged personal relationships. This article presents practice observations of 412 female group members made by the authors as psychoeducational support group facilitators at the Jersey Battered Women’s Service, Inc.’s Community Outreach Program (COP). References