Confronting "Victim" Discourses: The Identity Work of Battered Women

Abstract

In this article I explore how battered women both draw from and reject victim discourses in their processes of self-construction and self-representation. Data gathered from semistructured interviews with forty women who experienced violence from an intimate partner in a heterosexual relationship demonstrate that available "victim" discourses are both enabling and constraining. Four common representations of a victim emerged as most influential to women's identity work: as someone who suffers a harm she cannot control; as someone who deserves sympathy and/or requires some type of action be taken against the victimizer; as someone who is culpable for her experiences; and as someone who is powerless and weak. "Victim empowerment" and "survivor" discourses also played a role in how women understood and made sense of their experiences. In their attempts to construct identities for themselves, battered women become caught between notions of victimization, agency, and responsibility."I hate to be called a victim. I feel like then it's my fault. Then it's like I'm this weak person that couldn't do things right and get out [of an abusive relationship], you know?"This was the response given by Gina-a woman I met through a counseling group at a shelter for battered women-when I asked her whether she saw herself as a "victim." Because she has experienced physical, verbal, and emotional abuse from her husband, some people might perceive her as a victim. However, while Gina believed that she had been wronged by her husband, she herself rejected such an identity because she assigned it negative connotations. She did not want to be perceived by others as weak, helpless, or culpable for her husband's behavior. Current cultural discourses surrounding violence against women commonly depict them as blameworthy or as weak and powerless. As a result, many abused women have a difficult time using available victim discourses to articulate their experiences and construct and present selves that are meaningful to them.

Social and Health Care Professionals’ Views on Responsible Agency in the Process of Ending Intimate Partner Violence

“…In my data, explicit blaming the victim in this way was quite rare, and recent studies on the topic indicate that this attitude is gradually vanishing from public discourse as well (Leisenring, 2006). However, it seems that the notion that the victim is responsible for solving the problem lingers on.…”

Sympathy Work: Identity and Emotion Management Among Victim-Advocates and Counselors

“…147-163) who signify their clients' worthiness for help. Their displays of sympathy serve as evidence that their clients' victimization is "no fault of [their] own" (Loseke 2000, p. 48) and that-despite their "difficult" behavior-they are "innocent and therefore blameless" (Dunn 2001, p. 288; see also Leisenring 2006). Clients who cannot adhere to the behavioral expectations for victims (Best 1997;Dunn and Powell-Williams 2007) not only threaten their access to sympathy (and services) in DV and SA agencies (Loseke 1992), they also risk having their claims denied in the criminal justice system (Dietz and Martin 2007;Dunn 2001).…”

“…SAFE staff members still believed they were willing to excuse their clients' breaches of feeling-rules more than outsiders. As Dunn (2001) and Leisenring (2006) have found, victims often express emotions that run counter to an "ideal" version of victimhood. The advocates and counselors understood this and took it into account when evaluating their clients' emotional displays.…”

Gay men’s identity work and the social construction of discrimination

“…It oriented towards the Martyr-Target-Victim trope (Rofes, 2004) in order that this could be reworked into something more positive (see also Leisenring, 2006). Thus, although Daniel did talk about discrimination obliquely ('But I'm not denying that it would be easier'), he downgraded his experience into something relatively minor that should not be taken too seriously ('I'm not saying get the violins out').…”

“…In the run up to Extract 6, Ollie had built a 'survivor discourse' (Leisenring, 2006) that was predicated on his authenticity, determination, and personal growth.…”