The DOI matches its Crossref record; 67 of the 68 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Disclosure of Intimate Partner Violence to Informal Social Support Network Members: A Review of the Literature
Abstract
This article presents a review of the published literature to date on rates, experiences, and correlates of victims’ disclosure of or help seeking for intimate partner violence to informal social support network members (e.g., friends, family, classmates, and coworkers). Research indicates that the majority of individuals disclose to at least one informal support and that victims’ disclosure is associated with a number of demographic (e.g., victims’ sex, age, race), intrapersonal (e.g., victims’ feelings of shame/embarrassment, perception of control over abuse), and situational (e.g., violence frequency and severity, if abuse is witnessed) factors. Following disclosure, victims experience a wide range of positive (e.g., believing the victim’s reports, validating the victim’s experiences) and negative (e.g. disbelieving, blaming the victim) social reactions, with positive reactions rated as the most common and most helpful forms of support by victims. Finally, a review of psychological correlates associated with reactions to disclosure indicates that positive social reactions are associated with more psychological health benefits and fewer negative health symptoms, whereas negative social reactions were associated with increased negative psychological health symptoms. Future research methodologies and implications for violence prevention, intervention, and policy are discussed.
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In the citing paper
“Over three quarters of women experiencing DVA disclose the abuse at some point, [4][5][6]”
From Help‐seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support (2016) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“Studies of help-seeking have mostly been conducted in North America, many limited to cross-sectional data from retrospective surveys, often using a priori response categories and no follow-up of respondents.5,23”
From Help‐seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support (2016) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“Women experiencing abuse tend to have small networks with weak interconnections, partly as a result of coercion from the abusive partner, giving limited opportunities for disclosure.5,9,10”
From Help‐seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support (2016) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“The study provides corroboration and further understanding of barriers to disclosure and help-seeking previously identified.”
From Help‐seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support (2016) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“Previous studies suggest that women's disclosure of abuse and help-seeking represents empowered, planned and strategic actions, 2,5 but this study shows it is not always so.”
From Help‐seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support (2016) · cites this paper as [5]
In the citing paper
“however, the extent of disclosure differed with age, nature, ethnicity and gender [4].”
From A systematic review of intimate partner violence interventions focused on improving social support and/ mental health outcomes of survivors (2020) · cites this paper as [4]
In the citing paper
“Survivors of violence are likely to first disclose experiences of intimate partner violence and expect informal support from a friend, family member, neighbour or other members of their social network, prior to seeking support from formal sources like health institutions and legal officers”
From A systematic review of intimate partner violence interventions focused on improving social support and/ mental health outcomes of survivors (2020) · cites this paper as [4]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Sylaska, K. M., & Edwards, K. M.
- Affiliations
- University of New Hampshire (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sylaska, Kateryna M.
- Venue
- Trauma, Violence, & Abuse
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2013-07-24
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 3-21
- ISSN
- 1524-8380 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-8324
- OpenAlex
- W2015651013
- Cited by
- 456
- References
- 68
- Citations by year
- 2026: 42 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 41 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 11
- FWCI
- 21.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Trauma Violence & Abuse (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Elder Abuse and Neglect
- Keywords
- intimate partner violence, disclosure, informal support, help-seeking, victim reactions, shame and embarrassment, victim blaming, social validation, mental health outcomes, violence prevention
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Female, Helping Behavior, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Risk Factors, Self Disclosure, Sexual Partners, Social Support, Spouse Abuse, Crime Victims
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