Domestic abuse victims’ perceptions of abuse and support: a narrative study

The current study sought to investigate the developmental and social characteristics of a group of victimised women to develop understanding into the factors which put local women at risk for victimisation and enhance the local support services for these women. Twelve women from local support services were interviewed about their experiences of violence. The aim of these interviews was to identify patterns within these women’s narratives which can be explored and developed for future applications Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis which resulted in four themes: (1) childhood characteristics; (2) first sexual encounters; (3) quality of life; and (4) supporting services. The results provide an extraordinary opportunity to enhance the support services provided for vulnerable women and girls in the local community. These results have not only aided in advancing the current research but also developing current service-providers for this local population. More specifically, the results have indicated a number of characteristics which place women at risk of victimisation, more importantly, the results have demonstrated the importance of exploring other services that may be beneficial for the recovery of these woman. In essence, the woman taking part in this study highlighted areas which encourage future exploration for both researchers and service providers. Clearly, before definite conclusions can be drawn, more research evaluations need to be carried out to explore the characteristics that put women at risk of violence and the services which may aid in their recovery.