Are Victim Services Empowering Intimate Partner Abuse Victims?

• In Event: Violent Crimes in Australia: Intimate Partner Abuse and Juvenile/Youth Sexual Offending

Abstract

Intimate partner abuse is a pervasive issue affecting millions of victims worldwide and costing countries billions of dollars annually. Recent literature explores the ability of victim empowerment strategies to reduce intimate partner abuse and assist victims physically and mentally. National and state-based policy governing intimate partner abuse service provision in Australia requires victim services to empower victims and their families. However, the term empowerment is ambiguous in academic research with multiple conceptualisations identified, and empowerment is often undefined or unstated by victim service providers. Greater clarity is therefore required around the conceptualisation of victim empowerment, particularly in Australia. The current study comprises three study phases. The first involves a content analysis of policy documents to identify empowerment goals for service stakeholders and policy makers. The second entails focus groups with victim agency workers and, the third explores semi-structured, qualitative interviews with victims of intimate partner abuse in Queensland. The results from the first study phase will be the focus of this discussion.

Author

• Annie Smith, Griffith University