Shame Proneness and Help-Seeking Behavior in the Culture of Honor There’s a steady growth in research regarding intimate partner violence (IPV). What is IPV? Depending on the study, IPV can account for different variables. For this instance, intimate partner violence is defined as “behaviors that cause physical, sexual, or psychological harm, including physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behaviors” (Pence, 2013). Furthermore, an intimate partner can be defined as a person who someone is currently involved with or a person someone shared a relationship history with. IPV has gained more attention from the public since feminist advocated for it in the early 1970s (Liang, Goodman, Tummala-Narra, & Weintraub,
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For instance, the Transtheoretical Model includes the pre-contemplation stage where the woman accepts the perpetrator’s definition of violence and puts the blame upon herself, the contemplation stage where the woman starts to decide the advantages and disadvantages of taking action against the abuse, and the preparation stage where the woman finally seek other people’s help to solve the predicament (Liang, Goodman, Tummala-Narra, & Weintraub, 2005). If the woman utilizes individual influence, she becomes aware of her suffering, and she starts to defy the culture of honor by taking control of her life. The next influence is interpersonal where close relations are what pushes a woman to change something about her relationship. When a woman feels comfortable enough to share her experiences with family or friends, it can alleviate some pressure, especially if the people believe her. Interpersonal is tricky because it can actually strengthen the abuse if the woman is not validated by the people she …show more content…
The top three reasons are violence was bearable/ seen as normal or not serious, fear of undesirable consequences, and lack of trust in institutions (Djikanovic et al., 2011). Most people do not report violence since it is typically a rare occurrence. Some women are willing to easily forgive their partners for a rare act of violence, while others are immediately paranoid that it will keep happening. At this instance, it depends on the partner’s character whether the woman can trust him or not. The next reason refers back to shame proneness and how women don’t want to be ashamed of what happened to them. Shame to the family may occur because others can perceive the victim as being too weak to even hold her ground. Lastly, women may not leave or seek help due to the lack of trust in institutions. Even though hospitals were established as welcoming places, some women feel uncomfortable about the breach of their private life. Some people are legitimately afraid that they will not receive any type of support depending where they are. This is especially the worst for younger people and immigrants (Bell, Goodman, & Dutton,
For instance, the Transtheoretical Model includes the pre-contemplation stage where the woman accepts the perpetrator’s definition of violence and puts the blame upon herself, the contemplation stage where the woman starts to decide the advantages and disadvantages of taking action against the abuse, and the preparation stage where the woman finally seek other people’s help to solve the predicament (Liang, Goodman, Tummala-Narra, & Weintraub, 2005). If the woman utilizes individual influence, she becomes aware of her suffering, and she starts to defy the culture of honor by taking control of her life. The next influence is interpersonal where close relations are what pushes a woman to change something about her relationship. When a woman feels comfortable enough to share her experiences with family or friends, it can alleviate some pressure, especially if the people believe her. Interpersonal is tricky because it can actually strengthen the abuse if the woman is not validated by the people she …show more content…
The top three reasons are violence was bearable/ seen as normal or not serious, fear of undesirable consequences, and lack of trust in institutions (Djikanovic et al., 2011). Most people do not report violence since it is typically a rare occurrence. Some women are willing to easily forgive their partners for a rare act of violence, while others are immediately paranoid that it will keep happening. At this instance, it depends on the partner’s character whether the woman can trust him or not. The next reason refers back to shame proneness and how women don’t want to be ashamed of what happened to them. Shame to the family may occur because others can perceive the victim as being too weak to even hold her ground. Lastly, women may not leave or seek help due to the lack of trust in institutions. Even though hospitals were established as welcoming places, some women feel uncomfortable about the breach of their private life. Some people are legitimately afraid that they will not receive any type of support depending where they are. This is especially the worst for younger people and immigrants (Bell, Goodman, & Dutton,