The Experience of Formerly Battered Women with Divorce

Abstract

The study presented in this paper focuses on the experience of formerly battered women with divorce. Using an integrative, ecologically-based approach, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 divorced Israeli women who had experienced battering by their ex-husbands. The results portray the main themes presented by the women in relation to their lives after the divorce. Personal, interpersonal, organizational and sociocultural aspects are discussed. The results focus on the centrality of factors on all ecological levels. The women expressed satisfaction and, generally, a sense of well-being, increased closeness with the family-of-origin, support from friends and relatives and improvement in parental capabilities. In their struggle, these women require extensive assistance from various mental health and human service organizations, as well as financial and legal assistance. Cultural factors and social values also play a role in their adjustment.

Key Words:

• Battered women
• divorce
• formerly battered women
• surviving divorce
• ecological theory
• family violence
• domestic violence