Citation

St Vil NM, Sabri B, Nwokolo V, Alexander KA, Campbell JC. Soc. Work 2017; 62(1): 63-71.

Affiliation

Noelle M. St. Vil, PhD, is assistant professor, Social Work, University at Buffalo, 685 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260; e-mail: noellest@buffalo.edu. Bushra Sabri, PhD, is research associate, Vania Nwokolo, MSW, is research assistant, Kamila A. Alexander, PhD, is assistant professor and Jacquelyn C. Campbell, PhD, is professor, Department of Community-Public Health, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, National Association of Social Workers)

DOI

10.1093/sw/sww080

PMID

28395046

Abstract

Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are often portrayed as helpless victims. Yet many women who experience IPV implement strategies to help them survive the abuse. This qualitative study sought to explore the survivor strategies used by low-income black women who experience IPV. Authors used a semistructured interview guide to survey 26 survivors who reported being in an IPV relationship in the past two years. Thematic analysis revealed three types of survivor strategies used by low-income black women: (1) internal (use of religion and becoming self-reliant), (2) interpersonal (leave the abuser or fight back), and (3) external (reliance on informal, formal, or both kinds of sources of support). This article informs social work practitioners of the strategies used by low-income black women in surviving IPV so that practitioners can develop interventions that support these strategies.

© 2016 National Association of Social Workers.

Language: en

Keywords

black women; intimate partner violence; low income; survival strategies