ACCESSAdvancing Career Counseling and Employment Support for Survivors

A Curriculum Workbook

Krista M. Chronister, Ph.D.

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Intimate Partner Violence and Women

Intimate partner violence — or IPV — is vi-olence committed by a spouse, ex-spouse, or current or former romantic partner. IPV can occur among both opposite-sex and same-sex couples, and IPV is often a re-peated offense (CDC, 2003). The focus of this curriculum is on the work experiences and careers of women survivors of IPV, that is, women who have experienced in the past, or who are currently experiencing, violence from an intimate partner.

Records from around the world show that abuse of women is the most common and frequent form of family violence and the single greatest cause of injury to women (e.g., Center for Disease Control and Pre-vention, 2003; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000; Krug, Dahlberg, Mercy, et al., 2002). Based on the United States National Violence Against Women Survey data, estimates indicate that 5.3 million IPV victimizations occur every year among women who are age 18 years or older. IPV results in nearly 2 million injuries to women and nearly 1,300 deaths every year (CDC, 2003).

It is important to consider that IPV rates often do not account for the experiences of women who do not report IPV and women who are undocumented immigrants or non-U.S. citizens, non-English speaking, living on military bases, or are in same-sex rela-tionships.

IPV and Women’s Career Economic Development

The effects of intimate partner violence on women’s economic and career develop-ment are devastating, but too often these effects are neglected by policy makers, researchers, and service providers. IPV deprives women of career, educational, and financial opportunities; as well as un-dermines their attempts to attain economic stability and independence (American Psychological Association, 1998), realize their potential, and contribute fully to their communities.

Women living in the U.S. lose near-•ly 8 million days of paid work every year because of violence perpetrated against them by current or former inti-mate partners. This is the equivalent of 32,114 full-time jobs (CDC, 2003) and nearly $18 million in earnings each year (Greenfeld et al., 1998). Women also lose 5.6 million days from house-hold chores.

An estimated 13,000 episodes of IPV •toward women occur at work (CAEPV, 2002; U.S. Dept. of Labor, 1996).

75% of employed women in abu-•sive relationships are harassed in their work settings by their abusers, and 54% of these women lose their jobs as a result (Crowell & Burgess, 1996).

40% of women in abusive relation-•ships reported that IPV caused them to be late for work more than three times a month, and 34% of women reported missing whole days from work (Ret-zlaff, 1999).

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Program Purpose and Goals

Facilitate your exploration and identification of occupational and educational interests.•

Increase your awareness, development, and use of career-related skills.•

Increase your knowledge of different career and educational opportunities.•

Facilitate your connection to and use of community resources and support networks.•

Facilitate your identification and planning of future short-term and long-term goals.•

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Journal Assignment 1How did it feel to list your accomplishments on the SKILLS worksheet and identify •skills you have used?

What were you thinking or feeling while doing this exercise? •

Any surprises? •

What did you think about sharing your skills and experiences with other group •members?

“Fantasy—a healthy kind, not a wasteful longing for something you can’t have—is also enjoying the present moment by playing, enjoying yourself in your head.” — Marion Halligan, Interview, Conversations

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Your Career Goals and AchievementsGoal Worksheet

Please write four occupational or educational goals you want to try to pursue during the next month or two. For each goal, write out the steps you will take to reach that goal and rate how difficult you think it will be. Please be very specific.

Goal 1.

Steps:

How hard do you think it will be for you to reach Goal 1?1 2 3 4 5 6 7

very easy moderately difficult very difficult

Example: Goal 1: Go to the community college and get information about an Associate’s Degree in Nursing.

Steps:

How hard will it be for you to reach Goal 1?1 2 3 4 5 6 7

very easy moderately difficult very difficult

1 – Get a babysitter/daycare.

2 – Get a bus transit schedule.

3 – Find out what building to go to.

4 – Set the day and time, and do it!

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Goal 2.

Steps:

How hard do you think it will be for you to reach Goal 2?1 2 3 4 5 6 7

very easy moderately difficult very difficult

Goal 3.

Steps:

How hard do you think it will be for you to reach Goal 3?1 2 3 4 5 6 7

very easy moderately difficult very difficult