Journal
FAMILY JOURNAL
Volume 23, Issue 3, Pages 228-238Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/1066480715573705
Keywords
intimate partner violence; domestic violence; turning points; transtheoretical model of change
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The decision whether to leave an abusive relationship is very complex for victims. A small but growing body of research demonstrates the importance of turning points in these decisions. Situated within the theoretical framework of the Transtheoretical Model of Change, this study uses a phenomenological data analysis process to analyze the descriptions of turning points provided by a sample of 123 survivors of past abusive relationships who had been out of any abusive relationships for at least 2 years. Six distinct themes of turning points are identified: (a) facing the threat of severe violence; (b) changing their perspective about the relationship, abuse, and/or their partner; (c) learning about the dynamics of abuse; (d) experiencing an intervention from external sources or consequences; (e) realizing the impact of the violence on children; and (f) the relationship being terminated by the abuser or some other cause. Implications for research, counseling practice, and theory are discussed.
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