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Purpose Relationship Violence Intervention Programs (RVIPs) increase safety for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) by reducing the abusive attitudes and behaviors of their abusive partners. Researchers typically assess RVIP effectiveness by measuring abusive partners' recidivism, which is limited in capturing partners' behavior changes and determining whether survivors experience a reduction in abuse. This study explored survivors' hopes for their partners participating in an RVIP and survivors' perceptions of the RVIP's influence on abusive partners' behavior change. Method Twenty-four IPV survivors participated in in-depth, individual interviews about their needs and experiences after their partners entered an RVIP. Interview transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which inductively identifies themes. Results Survivors hoped the RVIP would give their partners tools to manage their anger and learn accountability. Survivors also wanted to give and receive feedback about their partners' participation. Some survivors described the RVIP as positive while others described it as negative or as having mixed influences on partners' behavior change. Survivors' perceptions of the impacts of the RVIP were influenced by how survivors conceptualized abuse, whether partners' behavior change was sustained and/or felt sufficient, and how survivors' safety was impacted. Conclusion RVIPs should involve survivors in service planning and provide information about program goals, expectations for abusive partners, and ongoing risks to survivors' safety. Additional implications and recommendations for further research and practice are discussed., Author(s): Selima N. Jumarali [sup.1] , Nkiru Nnawulezi [sup.1] , Keenan Eldridge [sup.1] , Christopher Murphy [sup.1] , Jasmine Engleton [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411024.2, 0000 0001 2175 4264, Department [...]

The social, financial, and emotional repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic has left many organizations that support survivors of intimate partner violence questioning how to maintain core services while addressing compounding individual, organizational, and public health issues. Stay-at-home orders and other COVID-19 mitigation strategies have resulted in reduced shelter availability and increased intimate partner violence rates. Coupled with the economic impact of the pandemic, these factors have threatened financial and housing stability. To better understand these challenges and provide immediate support, The National Alliance for Safe Housing (NASH) co-hosted a peer support call to provide a virtual platform for practitioners to ask questions, discuss challenges, and share strategies for quality service provision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 800 practitioners from across the United States participated in the NASH call, most of whom were advocates, program directors, and managers. NASH gathered data on practitioners' needs from a brief survey from the registration form analyzed using conventional inductive content analysis. Practitioners' primary concerns were situated within eight questions, which we categorized into four meta-categories: (1) managing residential housing programs; (2) getting survivors materials resources; (3) keeping staff safe; and (4) maintaining organizational operations. The paper concludes with community-grounded and empirically supported practice recommendations aligned with practitioners' expressed needs., Author(s): Nkiru Nnawulezi [sup.1] , Margaret Hacskaylo [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.266673.0, 0000 0001 2177 1144, University of Maryland, , Baltimore County, MD, USA (2) National Alliance for Safe Housing, [...]

Research illustrates the importance of help-seeking for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors. However, mandatory reporting (MR) laws can affect help-seeking by requiring some sources of support to report survivors to formal systems. This convergent mixed methods study of 2462 survivors surveyed through the National Domestic Violence Hotline explores how MR laws impact survivors' help-seeking, the outcomes of their help-seeking, and whether their race, gender, and/or sexual orientation influenced their experiences. Findings indicated that MR laws reduce help-seeking for over a third of survivors, provider warnings about MR often reduce survivors' ability to receive the support they seek, and reports when triggered make the situation worse for most survivors. Significant differences emerged by gender identity and race/ethnicity, emphasizing unique contexts for trans and gender non-conforming survivors and survivors of color. We provide policy and practice implications given these unintended harms of MR laws for IPV survivors., Author(s): Carrie Lippy [sup.1] , Selima N. Jumarali [sup.2] , Nkiru A. Nnawulezi [sup.2] , Emma Peyton Williams [sup.3] , Connie Burk [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) Northwest Network of Bi, [...]

Many abusers engage in violent behaviors to systematically remove power from and maintain control over their intimate partners. Domestic violence crisis housing organizations aim to increase safety and help survivors regain their power. Yet, little is known about how these settings accomplish this aim. This study drew on empowerment and empowering settings theories to explore how organizational characteristics contributed to empowering practice, and how this practice subsequently promoted survivor empowerment. Researchers employed an exploratory-sequential (QUALâquan) mixed-methods design at a domestic violence housing organization. Twelve staff participated in inductive, qualitative interviews. This was followed by deductive, quantitative structured interviews with thirty-three survivors. Qualitative results from staff revealed that the setting was survivor-centered, mission-driven, and distinctive. Staff held basic assumptions about survivors' right to self-determination. The relational culture emphasized partnerships, and people also had opportunities to hold meaningful roles within the organization. Setting leaders encouraged autonomy and creativity among all staff. Policies and procedures were also flexible. These setting characteristics were expected to support implementation of empowering practice. Quantitative results from the second phase supported a positive association between empowering practice and increased generalized, and safety-related, empowerment. This exploratory study suggests that setting characteristics are important to consider when understanding the complicated pathways that contribute to survivor empowerment and well-being., Author(s): Nkiru Nnawulezi [sup.1], Cris M. Sullivan [sup.2], Margaret Hacskaylo [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0001 2177 1144, grid.266673.0, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, , 1000 Hilltop [...]

The purpose of this special issue is to explore how researchers, evaluators, and practitioners use community-based, participatory research (CBPR) approaches to prevent gender-based violence, support survivors, and transform communities and systems. In this introduction, the editors define gender-based violence (GBV) and briefly discuss how systemic inequities exacerbate the prevalence of GBV. The authors featured in this special issue aim to dismantle these inequities by engaging in research approaches that center those who are most impacted by the social issue, ensure that community members guide the research process, build community capacity, and aim to transform oppressive conditions. The issue includes six empirical studies across the United States that cover the process and outcomes of conducting transformative CBPR. It also contains six commentaries from GBV adult practitioners and young people who provide pertinent insights on their experiences working with academic researchers and/or engaging in participatory research. The articles in this special issue cover the major themes of defining community, working in inequitable conditions, and transforming individuals and communities., Author(s): Nkiru Nnawulezi [sup.1] , Carrie Lippy [sup.2] , Josephine Serrata [sup.3] , Rebecca Rodriguez [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0001 2175 4264, grid.411024.2, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, [...]

In the absence of ongoing involvement in the communities that are the subjects of research, even well-intentioned researchers can develop questions that are not relevant to community needs, employ methods that hurt community members, or disseminate findings in ways that are inaccessible to those most affected. Recognizing these harms, a growing number of domestic violence (DV) researchers have embraced community-based participatory research (CBPR), an approach in which researchers and community members share power at every level of the research process, co-creating knowledge that can be applied to enhance community well-being. Despite growing interest in this approach, however, there are insufficient opportunities for interested researchers to learn how to actually engage in it, especially in the DV context. To remedy this gap, the authors of this paper collaborated to develop an online toolkit for emerging researchers interested in CPBR. This brief report frames the need for CBPR in DV research using short vignettes that come from our own research experience; introduces Power Through Partnerships: A CBPR Toolkit for Domestic Violence Researchers; and presents recommendations for developing, promoting, and disseminating future CBPR research. We chose to announce the development and availability of this toolkit in an academic journal in order to highlight its scholarly and practical relevance for researcher audiences who might be less familiar with the CBPR approach., Author(s): Lisa A. Goodman [sup.1] , Kristie A. Thomas [sup.2] , Nkiru Nnawulezi [sup.3] , Carrie Lippy [sup.4] , Josephine V. Serrata [sup.5] , Susan Ghanbarpour [sup.6] , Cris Sullivan [...]

From a utilization-focused evaluation perspective, the success of an evaluation is rooted in the extent to which the evaluation was used by stakeholders. This paper details the "Expectations to Change" (E2C) process, an interactive, workshop-based method designed to engage primary users with their evaluation findings as a means of promoting evaluation use and building evaluation capacity. The process is uniquely suited for contexts in which the aim is to assess performance on a set of indicators by comparing actual performance to planned performance standards for the purpose of program improvement. The E2C process was originally developed for use in a participatory evaluation with a non-profit human service organization. Evidence from a one-year follow-up survey suggested that the method increased participants' conceptual, instrumental, and process use. The general utility of the E2C process is discussed.

Feminist scholars and community psychologists have argued that reflexivity is a necessary component to conducting socially conscious research. Reflexivity, however, is rarely evident in community psychology. In this article, we share the uncomfortable realities that surfaced during a community-based research project in which we adapted and implemented an HIV prevention intervention for young Black sexual minority women. We each describe how aspects of our identities, values, and socialization affected our engagement in the research and our interactions with and feelings towards participants. In doing so, we hope to call attention to the messiness of community-based work, as well as to promote a community of scholars who are open to self-appraisal and willing to share their least comfortable examples of conducting community-based work in diverse communities. (Contains 2 footnotes.)

Definitions vary on what constitutes sexual and/or physical abuse, and scholars have debated on which methods might yield the most accurate response rates for capturing this sensitive information. Although some studies suggest respondents prefer methods that provide anonymity, previous studies have not utilized high-risk or stigmatized populations. In this article, the authors report on serendipitous findings when using two methods to assess the past year incidence of sexual and physical violence among women involved in the criminal justice system. Women who participated in an anonymous survey reported higher physical and sexual victimization than did the women who were interviewed, even though the questions were identical. Implications of the findings are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

Heightened attention to police brutality has created momentum for alternative, community-based responses to violence, including that inflicted by an intimate partner. But to build effective alternatives, we must know what survivors already do in moments of acute danger when they do not call the police. This study sought to explore these moments from an ecological perspective. Using a qualitative descriptive methodology, we conducted 25 interviews with a diverse sample of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors. Each described the first, the worst, and the most recent IPV incident, whom they reached out to and why, the outcomes of their help-seeking, and the individual, interpersonal, and psychosocial influences on the process. Even in the face of severe violence, what participants most wanted was someone who would listen without judgment. Direct interpersonal factors that influenced their help-seeking included their partner's controlling behavior, as well as their network members' capacities, perspectives on IPV, and feelings about the survivor. Broader influential factors included the radiating effects of IPV and other forms of trauma in survivors' networks. Participants offered recommendations on how domestic violence (DV) programs could both strengthen survivors' networks and provide them with targeted community support in moments of grave danger. As we continue to develop community-based alternatives to police intervention, DV programs have a critical opportunity to build on survivors' own recommendations. This process must address the ongoing effects of trauma that hamper the ability of so many network members to support survivors in crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence survivors (N = 122) reported on formal help-seeking before and after their male partners enrolled in a Relationship Violence Intervention Program (RVIP). At baseline, only 20% of survivors had ever received domestic abuse (DA) counseling. DA counseling was more common among survivors with more extensive partner abuse exposures, and for black women residing in suburban versus urban communities. New help-seeking was associated with survivor perceptions of the abusive partner's stage of change. RVIP impact may be enhanced through culturally sensitive survivor outreach that is responsive to a broad range of needs and includes repeated contact over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As formal crisis responders, police are trained in de-escalation tactics that are expected to mitigate intimate partner violence and promote survivor safety. However, the alignment between expected and actual practice of police intervention varies, especially when the survivor does not initiate the call, police treat the survivor poorly, or provide an undesirable arrest outcome. At best, unsuccessful interventions do not change survivors' risk level, and at worse, elevate their risk of experiencing harm. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore survivors' perspectives on the process of police intervention, specifically how variations in initiation, quality of engagement, and arrest influence survivors' safety. Twenty-four women whose partners were in a relationship violence intervention program were recruited to participate in the study. Results showed that many survivors described a range of ongoing, strategic violence perpetrated by their partners that required intervention; yet the complex nature of the violence often extended beyond police capacity. Either survivors called the police, or they were initiated externally by neighbors or strangers; some survivors had dual initiations. Whether survivors reported that police used safety practices during the intervention was related to who initiated the police. Arrests of abusive partners were inconsistent, and they varied based on number of previous calls to the police and visible signs of injury. Survivors of color, specifically Black women, self-initiated at higher rates, experienced fewer safety strategies used by police, and had fewer arrests. No matter the outcomes of police intervention, survivors actively engaged in strategies outside of formal systems to protect themselves and their families. Study results imply that police intervention may be ill-suited to support survivors' safety goals and highlight a need for alternative interventions focused on de-escalation and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic violence shelters have historically gone beyond providing emergency residential space for survivors by assisting in obtaining future housing, employment, health care, child care, or legal services. Domestic violence shelters are expected to operate within an empowerment philosophy, with an understanding that survivors are self-determining, can identify their needs, and know what it takes to meet those needs. Recent research has indicated that, as many shelters have become more rigid in creating rules that survivors must follow to access and retain free temporary housing, the result has been survivors' feelings of disempowerment, the complete opposite of what was originally intended. This study builds on the small amount of research conducted regarding survivors' experiences of shelter rules by specifically examining how rules were perceived to affect empowerment. Seventy-three survivors from two domestic violence shelters were asked about their experiences around specific shelter rules relating to curfew, parenting, chores, time limits, food, alcohol, drugs, and medications. A transcendental phenomenological approach was used to analyze the qualitative data, seeking explanations of how survivors made meaning of the rules and how those rules influenced their empowerment. Among those survivors who found the rules problematic, three major themes emerged: (a) rules acted as barriers to carrying out their normal, day-to-day activities; (b) the shelter staff's flexibility with rules was based on contingencies; and (c) rules negatively affected their psychological well-being, and required them to engage in protective behaviors. Recommendations are made for the reexamination and restructuring of rules within domestic violence shelters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racial microaggressions are often unintentional and subtle forms of racism that manifest in interpersonal communications, behaviors, or environments. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of racial microaggressions within domestic violence shelters and to understand how women respond to them. Using a phenomenological approach to data collection and analysis, 14 Black women from 3 different shelters were interviewed. Twelve women reported experiencing at least one racial microaggression, although few identified the experience as racist. Additional themes were also examined to understand why women did not identify their experiences of racial microaggressions as racist. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]