Ritual and Performance in Domestic Violence Healing: From Survivor to Thriver Through Rites of Passage

Abstract

This article describes a group for domestic violence survivors to help them move past a "liminal" state in which their social identity is characterized by being "victim" or "survivor" to one of "incorporation" defined by "thriving" and joy. Through the creation and use of healing rituals, blessings, poetry, art and music, the women in the group establish "communitas" and support each other in the work of self-reclamation and healing. The group, "Rites of Passage" is intended for women who have completed shelter-based crisis interventions, and uses a structured curriculum that integrates theoretical and philosophical concepts from anthropology, post-modernism, humanistic psychology, social work, and existentialism. Through the Rites of Passage group, women identify and traverse a healing trajectory to construct an identity founded on strength and fulfillment. Patterned after non-western sex-segregated rites of transition, those who go through the group celebrate its conclusion with a defining ritual that publically marks their change in identity and status.

Restorative Justice and Sexual Assault: Outcome Appraisal Through Textual Analysis

“…11-35, 45-66]. The expression of apology and forgiveness are desired outcomes in sexual assault [82,88], envisioned in program design as possible with self-reflection, while responsible persons complete reparative activities, receive therapy and regularly meet with staff and board members, and for survivor victims after psychotherapy and a reasonable passage of time [48,49,89,90]. To determine what generates successful program outcomes, all the core elements require scrutiny, especially the designated procedures most effective for facilitated conferencing between participants [28, 38 45, 91] and professionally responsive interactions, while working with survivor victims [38,48,49,56,[79][80][81][82][83][84] and responsible persons [33,67,81,90].…”

Psychological advocacy toward healing (PATH): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…The aims of the qualitative analysis will be twofold: first to understand the meaning and perceived effectiveness of the intervention in the context of the women’s lives, and second to deepen our understanding of the process of identity change for women as they move through some or all of the stages from victim to survivor to thriver [58]. The first analytic strand will provide important insights into contextual and motivational factors for the women in relation to the intervention.…”

‘Moving beyond violence’: Exploring new ways to support women and develop networked approaches following intimate partner violence

“…Consequently, interventions recognising/nurturing these patterns are to be encouraged -and complement Crichton-Hill's (2010, p. 17) call for 'collaboration across communities'. In building a local 'beyond violence' initiative that addressed such formal-and-informal networking, Jigsaw Central Lakes thus turned to a combination of social work traditions in group-work, feminist and anti-oppressive principles (Allen, 2011;Burke & Harrison, 2009;Dominelli, 2002;Fuchsel & Hysjulien, 2013;Lindsay & Orton, 2011;Tutty et al, 1996), as well as specific trauma-informed recommendations on supporting women's recovery and exploration and development of 'control, choice and connection' (Beeble et al, 2009;Goodman et al, 2010, p. 3;Suvak et al, 2013;Wozniak & Allen, 2012). Goodman and colleagues' networked and 'full-frame' approaches (Goodman & Smyth, 2011;Smyth, Goodman & Glenn, 2006, p. 489), and Dobl and Ross's (2013) example of collaborative community social work have also inspired our initiative.…”

“…Considerable time was spent on programme content, drawing on both IPV literature (e.g. Giles, 2008;Wozniak & Allen, 2012) and broader materials (Birch, 1995;Douglas, 1994;Dowrick, 2005). Beyond content, leaders knew it would always be the safe environment and supportive relations that were crucial (Stenius & Veysey, 2005).…”

“…Existing government and NGO responses are diverse, but most effort is focused on screening and risk assessment, and services that increase women's safety. Considerable resources necessarily go into crisis and short/medium-term support, but, recovery from IPV involves long and complex trajectories (Allen & Wozniak, 2011;Cram, Pihama, Jenkins, & Karehana, 2002;State of Victoria, 2004;Wozniak & Allen, 2012). Current legislation and Ministry of Justice-funded women's programmes focus strongly and…”