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Reasons for returning to abusive
relationships: Effects of prior victimization.
Griffing, S., Ragin, D.F., Morrison, S.M., Sage, R.E.,
Madry, L.,Bingham, L.E., Primm, B.J., Ragin, D.F. &
Berenson, K.R.
(August, 1999).
This study examines the impact of prior victimization
on decisions to return to abusive relationships in adulthood.
Residents of an urban domestic violence shelter were categorized
into two groups: 1) history of childhood sexual abuse
(CSA) (n =38), or 2) no history of CSA (n=64). Participants
were asked whether they had separated from and later returned
to their abusive relationship. Those reporting prior separations
were asked to identify their reasons for having returned
from a checklist of reasons that was derived from interviews
with over 100 domestic violence survivors. All participants
then decided, from the same checklist, which factors (if
any) might cause them to consider returning in the future.
As expected, CSA survivors reported more prior separation
attempts, and were significantly more likely to return
for emotional/attachment reasons (because they missed
the batterer or hoped that the batterer might change,
and because the batterer expressed remorse). Clinical
implications of the findings will be discussed. |
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