WOMEN SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE: THE IMPACT OF TRAUMATIC STRESS ON EDUCATION AND WORK

Abstract

A disempowering after-effect of childhood abuse that is not well-researched in nursing is the inability of many women abuse survivors to perform successfully in adulthood tasks such as working, managing money, and parenting. This inability often results from lack of family support, cultural impoverishment, limited formal education, and for some, illiteracy. By default, many women survivors engage in criminal, usually dangerous forms of work. A critical/feminist interview study involved 20 urban low income abuse survivors, who were mostly women of color. Participants were recovering cocaine misusers who had suffered multiple forms of childhood maltreatment. This article reports on a secondary analysis of narratives given by survivors, focused on learning and work difficulties. Findings were grouped into five broad domains: (1) school as problematic, (2) lack of adult life skills, (3) problems with academic and health literacy, (4) legitimate and illicit forms of work, and (5) means of help. In vivo quotes support these themes, and policy and practice implications are discussed.