Associations Between Labels Related to Intimate Partner Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Assault Experiences and Help-Seeking Behaviors

• In Event: Help-Seeking and Reporting Decisions for Crime and Victimization

Abstract

Background and objective: Theoretical and conceptual frameworks and a limited number of studies suggest that how victim-survivors of interpersonal violence label themselves and their experiences shapes their help-seeking behaviors. Given the small number of studies done in this area and a variety of methodological gaps, this study sought to explore this question further.
Methods: Data come from a community-based sample of 1242 adult, female victim-survivors of physical intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual assault (SA), and/or stalking who participated in a victimization survey in 2020. Bivariate chi square analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine whether certain experience labels (e.g., abuse, rape) and self-labels (e.g., victim, survivor) predicted the likelihood of having called the police, as well as the likelihood of perceiving the need for and receiving legal services, victim services, shelter or safe housing, and/or medical care.
Findings: Analyses revealed that whether labels predicted help-seeking behaviors depended on the labels used, the type of help-seeking, and the type of violence experienced (IPV, SA, and/or stalking).
Conclusions: Service providers should consider how they conduct outreach to their target populations and whether they are using the same language as those populations.

Author

• Ingrid Diane Johnson, University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center