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The Patterns and Influencing Factors of Help-Seeking Decisions among Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in China

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Abstract

Although there has been a growing body of empirical research that examines the prevalence rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated factors in Chinese societies, few studies have examined IPV survivors’ help-seeking patterns. Drawing on data from a nationwide survey among the general public in mainland China, the present study sought to investigate help-seeking decisions and associated factors among Chinese women survivors of IPV. The sample consisted of 488 IPV survivors who self-identified as heterosexual women in China. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing participants’ help-seeking decisions (help-seeking versus non-help-seeking) and non-help-seeking reasons. A latent class analysis (LCA) was used to explore help-seeking patterns among those who sought help. Multinomial logistic regression analyses, as part of the 3-step LCA approach, were employed to locate significant factors associated with distinct help-seeking patterns identified in the LCA. Over two-thirds of the survivors (73.4%) did not seek help. Among the 26.6% of survivors who sought help, the majority sought support from family and friends, rather than professional services. The main reasons for not seeking help include (a) the belief that they could handle the situation by themselves, (b) not knowing to whom they could turn for help, and (c) the belief that the violence experienced was not severe. IPV type and several relationship-related factors stood out as key predictors for different help-seeking decisions. Implications for future research and practice in the context of China are discussed.

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Notes

  1. The Women’s Federation is also known as The All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF), a nationwide government-supported women’s organization that aims to protect and promote the rights of women and children in China. The ACWF has local chapters that provide support and resources to women who seek help for intimate partner violence.

  2. In Chinese universities/colleges, there are very few employed students or part-timers.

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Acknowledgements

Publication of this article is supported by the International Joint Research Project of the Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Ran Hu

  2. Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work & Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jia Xue

  3. Division of Criminal Justice, California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Kai Lin

  4. Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA

    Ivan Y. Sun

  5. Department of Criminal Justice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Yuning Wu

  6. Institute for Education Theories,Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, No.19 Xinjiekou Wai Street, Beijing, 100875, China

    Xiying Wang

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  1. Ran Hu
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  2. Jia Xue
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  4. Ivan Y. Sun
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  5. Yuning Wu
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Correspondence to Xiying Wang.

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Hu, R., Xue, J., Lin, K. et al. The Patterns and Influencing Factors of Help-Seeking Decisions among Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in China. J Fam Viol 36, 669–681 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-020-00145-5

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