Informal Social Reactions to College Women’s Disclosure of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

This researchers assessed informal (e.g., friends, family) social reactions to college women's (N = 139) disclosure of intimate partner violence (IPV) within their current romantic relationships and associated psychological (i.e., posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS] and global psychological distress symptoms) and relational (i.e., intentions to leave the abusive relationship) variables. Women completed confidential surveys, which assessed current partner abuse, psychological and relational variables, and three types of social reactions from informal supports to disclosure of IPV: positive (e.g., believing, validating the victim), negative (e.g., disbelieving, blaming the victim), and leaving (i.e., being told to end the relationship) reactions. At the bivariate level, negative social reactions to women's disclosure were related to increases in global psychological distress, PTSS, and leaving intentions; positive social reactions to disclosure related only to increases in PTSS; and being told to leave the relationship related to increases in PTSS and leaving intentions. In the regression analyses, after controlling for abuse severity, negative social reactions were significantly related to global psychological distress and PTSS, and being told to leave significantly related to leaving intentions and PTSS. Mechanisms for these relationships and implications are discussed.

Why I Stayed/Left: An Analysis of Voices of Intimate Partner Violence on Social Media

“…One of these themes was social support, including access to or lack of access. Researchers highlight the role that available social support plays on the ability to leave an abusive relationship (Barnett 2001;Edwards et al 2015;Kim and Gray 2008;Koepsell et al 2006). Koepsell et al (2006) found that victims who sought social support, but did not receive it were less likely to leave an abusive relationship.…”

“…Further, certain types of social support are more helpful than others. For example, there are three common reactions that people have when hearing of abuse (Edwards et al 2015): (1) positive or validating, (2) negative or blaming and disbelieving, and (3) leaving, specifically being encouraged to leave. Victims who received negative reactions, such as blaming or disbelieving, often experienced significantly more psychosocial distress, while those who received positive or supportive reactions frequently reported intention to leave and less distress.…”

Correlates of disclosure of sexual violence among Kenyan youth

“…Immediate linkage to services is critical when the survivor is at risk of HIV transmission, pregnancy, or severe physical injury. However, disclosure can increase psychopathology symptoms, particularly when the response to disclosure is negative (Edwards, Dardis, Sylaska, & Gidycz, 2014; Roesler, 1994). Reactions to disclosure depend on factors such as community perceptions of SV and the relationship of the perpetrator to the survivor (Jewkes, Penn-Kekana, & Rose-Junius, 2005; Ullman & Filipas, 2001).…”

“…In the United States, survivors who disclose during childhood and receive a negative reaction (such as disbelief or blame) have higher levels of post-traumatic stress than do those who receive a positive reaction (Edwards et al, 2014; Roesler, 1994). Reactions to disclosure are influenced by SV characteristics as well as community perceptions of SV.…”

Stigmatizing Reactions Versus General Negative Reactions to Partner Violence Disclosure as Predictors of Avoidance Coping and Depression

“…Extant literature suggests that societal stigmatization embedded in negative social reactions to IPV also may contribute to women’s depressive symptoms (Sylaska & Edwards, 2014; Edwards, Dardis, Sylaska, & Gidycz, 2015). Women who disclose experiences of IPV to informal support networks (e.g., family and friends) encounter both positive and negative reactions to their disclosure (Sylaska & Edwards, 2014; Trotter & Allen, 2009).…”