Citation

Peled E, Dekel R. Violence Against Women 2010; 16(11): 1224-1241.

Affiliation

Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. einatp@post.tau.ac.il.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801210386775

PMID

21097960

Abstract

This study examined how staff members in shelters for abused women perceive the women's mothering and the challenges when working with these mothers. Data were collected through focus group interviews with 30 workers at Israeli shelters for abused women. Findings revealed that workers typically held a "deficit perspective" when describing the residents' mothering skills. Most seemed committed to the notion of empowerment as a guiding framework for intervention with the women and made an effort to facilitate the women's choices and autonomy in spite of the obstacles. The study examined workers' perceptions from personal, professional, and sociocultural perspectives.

Language: en