Fran S. Danis

Recovery Resilience and Growth in the Aftermath of Domestic Violence

This mixed-methods study explored the recovery process and outcomes for 37 women formerly in an abusive intimate partner relationship. Standardized measures of current psychosocial functioning indicated participants were largely asymptomatic for posttraumatic stress disorder and had relatively strong resilience. Qualitative analysis revealed how social and spiritual support was instrumental to participants’ recovery, growth, and resilience. Implications for helping professionals include gaining a more comprehensive understanding of recovery from domestic violence. This type of knowledge may contribute to interventions that build on women’s strengths and resourcefulness.

Social Work Response to Domestic Violence: Encouraging News from a New Look

Since the beginnings of the battered womens movement, the social work profession has been criticized for its inability to respond to victims of domestic abuse. This article reports on a survey of degreed and licensed professionals that finds that social workers may be doing better in their ability to assess and intervene with battered women. However, social workers are failing to use universal screening techniques to identify battered women and the womens children in their caseloads. Social work education must include a feminist analysis of domestic violence, along with feminist practice principles, to prepare professionals to address this prevalent problem better.

Collegiate Sororities and Dating Violence An Exploratory Study of Informal and Formal Helping Strategies

Women in collegiate sororities are more at risk for violence within the context of dating relationships than is the general population of college women. Because assaulted women are more likely to turn to their peer networks for support, this study explores the formal and informal helping strategies available to sorority members within the context of their sororities. A total of 35 women representing 17 different sororities participated in 4 focus groups. Although the central finding uncovered how violence is largely omitted from the formal agendas of sororities, community and campus-based programs addressing the issue can build on their sincere interest in helping each other.

Pregnancy and Intimate Partner Violence: How Do Rural, Low-Income Women Cope?

We conducted 32 in-depth interviews with 20 rural, low-income, women residing in the United States who were pregnant (n = 12) or 3 months postpartum (n = 8) and had experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). Using purposive sampling and the grounded theory method, we generated a conceptual model of coping. The urge to protect the unborn baby was the primary influence for participants’ decisions about separating from or permanently leaving an abusive relationship. Implications include universal screening for IPV in child-bearing women, inquiry into maternal identity development during pregnancy, and improved resource access for rural, low-income women.

An Underserved Population and Untapped Resource: A Preliminary Study of Collegiate Sorority Response to Dating Violence

ABSTRACT To what extent do national collegiate sororities have formal programs and policies addressing dating violence? Given that undergraduate women are at high risk for violence by a male partner, sororities represent an opportunity to reach large numbers of undergraduates as well as women in the community who are active in alumni chapters. Based on a telephone survey and review of organizational Web sites, study results suggest that collegiate sororities are an underserved population with regard to prevention, education, and outreach services and an untapped resource with regard to opportunities for community service. Suggestions for building collaboration between sororities and service providers to raise awareness, support victims, create safety planning, and develop resources are addressed.

Domestic Violence and Crime Victim Compensation

An analysis of state-by-state data available on the U.S. Department of Justice Web site revealed that more than 50% of clients served through federally funded crime victim assistance programs in 1999 were domestic violence victims. However, only 13.4% of all crime victim compensation claims were awarded to victims of domestic violence. This disparity provides the basis for a comprehensive research agenda to learn what barriers prevent domestic abuse victims from submitting eligible claims.

A Tribute to Susan Schechter: The Visions and Struggles of the Battered Women’s Movement

The battered women’s movement lost a great leader and visionary when Susan Schechter died of endrometrial cancer in 2004. Schechter’s legacy reminds advocates for battered women of how efforts to develop safe places for battered women began, the context of those times, how far we have come, and how far we still have to go. Her pioneering work in the area of the overlap between child maltreatment and adult domestic violence and services to children who are exposed to domestic violence has left the social work profession with a challenging agenda that must be met to create safety for all women and children

Teaching Domestic Violence Online A Step Forward or a Step Backward

With the increasing number of courses and degree programs available online, faculty may be interested in developing an online course on domestic violence. This article analyzes the similarities and differences involved in teaching about domestic violence online versus face-to-face. Highlights of course activities and notable online resources are identified including YouTube videos, webinars, online training modules, and websites. The limitations and challenges of teaching domestic violence in an asynchronous online course and recommendations for future teaching are discussed.

The Safe Shelter Collaborative: An Innovative Approach to Locating Emergency Shelter for Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence Survivors

When your residential program is full, finding emergency shelter for human trafficking and domestic violence survivors can be challenging. Advocates often spend hours calling one agency after another to locate an appropriate placement. The Safe Shelter Collaborative is an innovative technological approach to locating emergency shelter. By sending out a blast alert to certified users within a geographic network, agencies provide faster access for a greater number and diversity of survivors. This article reports on an evaluation of the Safe Shelter Collaborative and the ways it has transformed the process of finding emergency shelter.

Oil Development and Intimate Partner Violence: Implementation of Section 8 Housing Policies in the Bakken Region of North Dakota and Montana

One of the challenges survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often face is securing safe and affordable housing. Many survivors qualify for public housing programs such as the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) program and tenant-based Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP). These programs can be vital for survivors fleeing abuse and trying to rebuild their lives. But how might regional conditions such as rapid population growth resulting from an oil boom affect the implementation of such programs for survivors? In addition, what role might such policies play in preventing future violence in resource boom communities? Analyzing existing policies and qualitative data collected from in-depth interviews with survivors, community members, and service providers in the Bakken region of North Dakota and Montana, we evaluate the implementation of Section 8 housing programs in oil-affected communities for survivors of IPV. We find that survivors of IPV often had a difficult time accessing affordable housing in the Bakken. Eligibility restrictions prevented some survivors from utilizing Section 8 housing programs, some landlords opted out of Section 8 program participation at the height of the oil boom, and the housing crisis may have simultaneously contributed to low utilization of housing vouchers. These conditions increased vulnerability for IPV survivors. We conclude by exploring the impact of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), state, and local initiatives on housing access and affordability, and the efficacy of Section 8 housing programs during the oil boom. Understanding the relationship between natural resource development, rapid population increases, housing inflation, and Section 8 housing programs should be considered as policy makers prioritize social programs in boomtown communities that may affect the well-being and safety of IPV survivors.