'Desisting' from Intimate Partner Victimization? Expectations placed on Women who try to Rebuild a Victimisation-Free Life

• In Event: Victimization and Victimhood: Both Sides of the Coin

Abstract

This paper presents a unique theoretical examination of women’s experiences when trying to rebuild a victimization-free identity after having experienced multiple years of violence, coercion and control by an intimate partner. Examining ‘recovery’ from IPV in the framework of desistence from repeat victimization, findings from 28 in-depth interviews reveal similarities between the ‘recovery’ process of repeat offenders, especially those with prior incarceration experiences, who ‘aim to go straight’ (Maruna, 1999; Maruna, Immarigeon & LeBel, 2004) and the ‘recovery’ process of women affected by severe and prolonged experiences of IP. Findings reveal that victims face stereotypical attitudes that convey a certain level of accountability in relation to their victimization while trying to overcome the impact of severe and prolonged victimization, comparable in many ways to the effects of institutionalization (Goffman, 1968), despite their distinct victim status. These observations raise significant implications for future research and practice.

Author

• Silke Meyer, University of Queensland