J Korean Acad Womens Health Nurs.  1997 Sep;3(2):215-229.

Victim's Experiences of Wife-Abuse

• Lee EJ

Abstract

The wife-abuse is a seriously threatening factor with victim's wellbeing and health. This study was performed to analyze the victims' experiences of wife-abuse to prepare the basis of nursing intervention for them. The participants of study were 96 women who counseled with W counselling center for wife-abuse from January 1996 to August 1997 in Cheju. Data were gathered through the unstructured interviews(telephone, face-to-face and letter) by trained 3 members of the center. The collected data were analyzed to reveal the characteristics of wives and husbands, the modes of wife-abuse, the influences of abuse to wives and the coping styles of wives. The modes of wife-abuse were analyzed and classified using the power and control wheel model of Pence et al. The results of study unveiled that the wife-abuse behaviors were used to control the wife physically, sexually, economically, and psychologically and to maintain the abuse situation. We have to understand the dominant regime of our society, ie the patriarchy that controls the women's labor power, production power and personality, to approach the victims' of wife-abuse and to provide the proper nursing interventions for them.

MeSH Terms

Family Characteristics
Female
Humans
Jeju-do
Nursing
Spouses