TY - JOUR PY - 2008// TI - The lived experience of women in abusive relationships who sought spiritual guidance JO - Issues in mental health nursing A1 - Copel, Linda Carman SP - 115 EP - 130 VL - 29 IS - 2 N2 - Women in abusive relationships have recognized the silence of religious institutions and clergy in addressing intimate partner violence. The old message, that women are to blame when family dysfunction occurs, remains evident in society. The objective of this qualitative study was to describe the experience of abused women attempting to decrease their spiritual distress and obtain spiritual guidance from their religious leaders. The findings revealed that clergy were not helpful in alleviating the women's spiritual distress or intervening in the violence. Four themes that epitomized the negative outcomes of the help-seeking behavior were spiritual suffering, devaluation, loss, and powerlessness.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0161-2840 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01612840701792365 ID - ref1 ER -