Women's Experiences of Victimization and Survival

Authors

Margaret Severson, University of Kansas
Judy L. Postmus, Rutgers University
Marianne Berry, University of Kansas

Keywords

IPV, victimization, women, adult outcomes, abuse

Abstract

In an effort to more fully understand the experiences and aftermath of girlhood and adult woman physical, sexual and psychological victimization, research was undertaken that explored the prevalence and the consequences of such victimization, and the survival strategies women activate at various points in their lifespan in the aftermath of that violence. Women participants were recruited from five different communities; three urban, one rural and the only correctional facility for women in a Midwestern state. These venues were selected as ideal sites in which to secure a racially, ethnically and geographically diverse sample of women age 18 and older. Findings yielded from the total sample of 423 women reveal a significantly high rate of multiple types of victimization amongst the entire sample population. Certain health and mental health-related adult outcomes for these women are reported, as are the relationships between the types of victimization experienced and those adult outcomes and the influence of certain factors on those adult outcomes. Finally, women's experiences using and evaluating the helpfulness of a variety of services post-victimization are presented.

Recommended Citation

Severson, Margaret; Postmus, Judy L.; and Berry, Marianne (2009) "Women's Experiences of Victimization and Survival," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 36: Iss. 2, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3433
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol36/iss2/9