Meeting Survivors’ Needs: A Multi-State Study of Survivors’ Experiences

1. Meeting Survivors’ Needs: A Multi-State Study of Survivors’ Experiences with Domestic Violence Programs’ Non-Residential Services and Supports NCADV/NOMAS Conference July 24, 2012 Eleanor Lyon & Anne Menard

2. Study Overview • Collaboration between the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the UConn School of Social Work • Federal funding by the Family Violence Prevention & Services Administration office of DHHS; administered by National Institute of Justice • Collaboration with DV Coalitions & programs across 4 states and within 4 culturally-specific organizations who have a national presence • Methodology: Two phases of outreach & data collection -- surveys and focus groups

3. Study Goals • Learn more about what domestic violence survivors want when they come to programs for supportive services, the extent to which survivors have had their service expectations met, and survivors’ assessment of immediate outcomes associated with the services they receive. • Learn more about how survivors’ experiences, needs and immediate outcomes vary across demographic and domestic violence program characteristics. • Identify multi-level factors associated with survivors’ positive service experiences. • Develop recommendations for domestic violence programs across the country for how they might improve their services.

4. Survey Methodology • Collaborated with DV Coalitions & programs across 4 states: • Alabama • Illinois • Massachusetts • Washington • Collaborated with 4 culturally-specific DV organizations & their associated programs across the nation: • Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence (APIIDV) • Casa de Esperanza • Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community (IDVAAC) • Women of Color Network (WOCN) • Recruited 90 DV programs who distributed the survey to survivors with 2+ contacts over a 9 month period (April – December 2010)

5. Surveys • 2 surveys: one for programs, one for survivors • Survivor survey modified from DOW, FVPSA outcomes, & shelter study • Piloted with survivors in English & Spanish • Outcomes: information, self-efficacy & affect • Translated into 10 languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese

6. Participating DV Programs

7. Participating DV Programs:Languages Spoken by Program Staff & Volunteers • American Sign Language • Amharic • Arabic • Bangla/Bengali • Bosnian • Bulgarian • Cambodian/Khmer • Cantonese • Cape Verdean/Criuolo • Creole • Croatian • English • Farsi • French • German • Gurajati • Haitian Creole • Hebrew • Hindi • Indonesian • Italian • Japanese • Korean • Kurdish • Laotian • Malayalam • Mandarin • Mien • Nepali • Polish • Portuguese • Punjabi • Russian • Samoan • Serbian • Setswana • Sinhala • Somali • Spanish • Tagalog • Tai-Pan • Tamil • Telugu • Thai • Ukrainian • Urdu • Vietnamese • Yoruba

8. Survey: Language Completed In

9. Demographics: Race/Ethnicity

10. Demographics: Age & Education

11. Demographics: Gender & Sexual Orientation

12. Demographics: History in U.S.

13. Demographics: Disability & Financial Situation

14. Top 10 Sources: First Heard about DV Program

15. Types of Services Currently Being Used 75% 57% 56% 36%

16. Differences in Services Currently Being Used by Race/Ethnicity

17. Differences in Services Currently Being Used By Whether Born In or Outside U.S.

18. Top 10: Services & Supports Wanted

19. Additional Services & Supports Wanted

20. Help Staying in Relationship Safely: A Closer Look • More likely to be born outside the US, have less trouble paying bills, & better off now than 2 years ago • Report more average needs: information & support, child-related, safety, personal support & immigration-related • Want more: help for person who hurt them, stopping court case, AND help ending relationship

21. Types of Services Sought for Children

22. 11 Factors: Services & Supports Wanted

23. Total Number of Services Wanted by Demographic Features (overall mean = 22.18)

24. Top 10: Services & Supports Received

25. Top 10: Services & Supports Wanted but NOT Received

26. Satisfaction with Services & Supports

27. Survivor Outcomes

28. Feedback on Outcomes • I learned how much I'm worth and my rights as a person and a woman. I have a better life together with my kids and we live in peace and harmony. Survivor from Illinois • It has helped me a lot in the form of knowing that I'm worth something and I'm someone important. And in the group I feel comfortable again to be able to accept friendships and to have trust in myself. Survivor from Washington • I feel stronger and do feel more hopeful towards the future. Survivor from program identified by APIIDV

29. Focus Group Populations:10 Groups, N = 73 Culturally-specific populations: • Asian/Pacific Islander • African American • Hispanic/Latino(a) (2 groups) • Portuguese-speaking Brazilian immigrants Other targeted populations: • LGBTQ • Men • Older adults • Survivors living in rural areas • Survivors in recovery from substance abuse

30. Implications—for DV Programs • Survivors report high levels of satisfaction with the services and supports they receive, and with program staff, suggesting that DV programs should continue to offer a broad array of services and continue with staff training efforts. • High correlation between services and supports “wanted” and those “received” suggests that programs are meeting the needs of survivors in many areas; but there is room for improvement in meeting economic needs, legal advocacy needs, and supports for children. • Outcomes suggest that DV programs are creating positive change the lives of survivors.

31. Implications—Outcome Measures • Hope the “catalyst” of mental health recovery (SAMHSA, 2006) • Advocacy services found to be protective and enhance well-being in more controlled studies. e.g. -- • Empowerment services protect against PTSD for survivors in shelter with low/moderate violence; beyond benefits of resources (Perez, Johnson & Wright, 2012) • Advocacy in health care settings associated with reduced violence, depression, & reproductive coercion (Coker et al, 2012; Kiely et al, 2010; Miller et al, 2010; Tiwara et al, 2010) • Enhanced follow-up advocacy associated with enhanced well-being (Sullivan & Bybee, 2002)

32. Implications—Training and Practice • DV survivors have multiple & complex needs; need comprehensive & collaborative approach. • Many survivors want/need to remain in a relationship with the person who has abused them—importance of safety planning that takes this into account, and of services for people who are abusing. • Needs related to children are primary among mothers. • Culturally appropriate/competent services are vital.

33. Resources RESOURCES on VAWnet.org Meeting Survivors’ Needs Study Resource Page www.vawnet.org/research/MeetingSurvivorsNeeds Research Resources www.vawnet.org/research/ Use of Data & Statistics www.VAWnet.org/research/use-of-data QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE STUDY? Please contact research@nrcdv.org