How does domestic violence within heteronormative relationships affect a survivor's external relationships including familial, social, or professional connections?
Project Statement
Intimate partner violence (IPV) among heteronormative relationships have extreme impacts on those considered survivors; this can extend further than the immediate mental, emotional, or physical harm that survivors endure from abuse. Our research explores how domestic violence affects numerous aspects of a survivor’s life. Such aspects include how it impacts a survivor’s relationships with their family, close friends, or work life, and the societal barriers that hinder survivors from seeking help such as access to healthcare, legal help, shelters, or social support programs. Additionally, we seek to discuss how IPV affects a survivor’s mental health in short-term and long-term, and any mental health conditions that may arise or are associated with IPV. Lastly, we want to understand how gender differences, heteropatriarchal standards, cultural, economic, or factors can influence the likelihood of a person reporting their experience.
Research Questions
We utilized four key questions to guide our research and develop this project.
What barriers do survivors face when seeking help or reporting incidents, including access to healthcare, legal assistance, shelters, and social support programs, and how do these barriers contribute increase their vulnerability to ongoing abuse?
How does experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) impact survivors' mental health in the short-term and long-term? What specific mental health conditions are most commonly linked to IPV, and how do these vary across different demographic groups?
How do gender differences and hetero-patriarchal norms fluctuate the likelihood of survivors reporting domestic violence, and how do these factors intersect with specific cultural, economic and legal factors within diverse societal contexts?