Web resource:	http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Murphy_Clare_Masters.pdf
Type:	Thesis
Title:	Women coping with psychological abuse : surviving in the secret world of male partner power and control
Authors:	Murphy, Clare
Keywords:	Psychological abuse;Theories of violence;Post-separation violence
Year:	2002
Publisher:	University of Waikato, Hamilton
Notes:	The social problem of psychological abuse, independent of physical violence, against women, by their male live-in partner, is a greatly unrecognised crime which is deservedly beginning to receive attention. Although the literature identifies socialisation and cultural norms as key factors in women’s coping strategies, knowledge of the specific ways women think and the influence that their socially influenced beliefs have, is underdeveloped. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the coping strategies Pakeha women use in response to being psychologically abused. The sample consists of 12 Pakeha women who have left their male live-in partner no less than one year previously. From the semistructured, open-ended, in-depth interviews, I uncovered women’s experiences of the abuse and their versatile responses over time. Using a feminist, grounded theory analysis, findings clearly demonstrated the chief influences on the beliefs women held and consequently the choices they made. The four main influences included, (1) their partner’s ‘power and control’ tactics, (2) gender socialisation, (3) the responses from friends, family, acquaintances and institutions and (4) popularly understood definitions of what constitutes and what causes, domestic violence. As the themes were considered, variations in the individual women’s beliefs and strategies are discussed. The myth that leaving an abusive partner is the way to end abuse is discredited. Several theories show promise for aiding in the understanding of the women’s complex coping processes. These include feminist theory; French and Raven’s theory of the five bases of power; face saving entrapment theory; social construction theory; social identity theory; existential theory; relational theory; cognitive social learning theory; Belenky and colleagues’ theory of women’s ways of knowing, learning and perceiving truth; intergenerational theory of violence; psychoanalytic theory and narrative theory. The discussion places emphasis on the finding that women lose a sense of themselves as a result of psychological abuse, but following a number of catalysts for change, they experience a new-found inner strength which generates a change in beliefs and strategies. These changes reflect the value of self-care, a determination to pursue their potential and to shake free from the shackles of gender socialisation. These roads were walked in spite of social disapproval, minimal assistance from social institutions and ongoing separation abuse by their ex-partner. [author abstract]
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/17831
Physical description:	206 p.
Appears in Collections:	Miscellaneous

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