Abstract
Victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) often are blamed for remaining in abusive relationships. As a result, victims may
communicate messages rationalizing why they stay. Systematic, comparative examinations of these messages directed toward self and others by males versus females
have not been conducted. This study addresses a gap in the literature by exploring victims’ communication regarding staying.
Self-reports of 345 heterosexual IPV victims (N = 239 women, 106 men) demonstrated that more justifications were communicated internally to self than externally to others.
Men and women differed significantly in only three of 14 messages, with men choosing more stereotypically masculine reasons
for staying. Findings are discussed in terms of applications to victims and their stay-leave decision-making in IPV relationships.
communicate messages rationalizing why they stay. Systematic, comparative examinations of these messages directed toward self and others by males versus females
have not been conducted. This study addresses a gap in the literature by exploring victims’ communication regarding staying.
Self-reports of 345 heterosexual IPV victims (N = 239 women, 106 men) demonstrated that more justifications were communicated internally to self than externally to others.
Men and women differed significantly in only three of 14 messages, with men choosing more stereotypically masculine reasons
for staying. Findings are discussed in terms of applications to victims and their stay-leave decision-making in IPV relationships.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s10896-010-9338-0
- Authors
- Jessica J. Eckstein, Communication Department, Western Connecticut State University, 120 Berkshire Hall, 181 White St., Danbury, CT 06810, USA
- Journal Journal of Family Violence
- Online ISSN 1573-2851
- Print ISSN 0885-7482