Victims' Perspectives on the Process of Seeking a Protective Order: Predictors of Perceived Empowerment

Purpose

This study explored domestic violence survivors' perceived sense of empowerment during the process of seeking a Protective Order. While previous research has limited its focus to victims' satisfaction with the criminal justice process, this study sought to gain a clearer understanding of the survivor's experience of empowerment while pursuing a Preliminary Protective Order (PPO). Furthermore, prior studies have often focused on victim satisfaction in relation to outcomes, i.e. arrest or prosecution. In the case of Preliminary Protective Orders only judges can decide if the individual ultimately obtains that Order, but by focusing on the process rather than the outcome, the researchers recognize that an individual can be empowered without having the authority to decide an outcome (Zimmerman, 1995). The researchers explored whether the process or act of seeking a Preliminary Protective Order predicts a feeling of empowerment.

Method

A cross sectional survey design with stratified sampling was used to gather information from 89 adult women (18 and older), who were recruited during the process of seeking a PPO through the Richmond City Court system in Virginia. Information about these women was obtained through the form of a pen and paper self report survey. The survey included demographic questions, eleven questions related to the process of seeking a PPO (combined in order to create a process variable index), an empowerment scale, single item questions, and one open-ended question. Empowerment was measured using a scale that was separated into three sub-scales, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community. The newly created empowerment scale was based on a previously validated scale titled the Family Empowerment Scale (Koren, DeChillo, & Crean, 1992). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Ordinary Least Squares Regression, confirmatory factor analysis and a summation of themes extracted from the open ended question.

Results

The results of the multivariate analysis suggest that the process of seeking an Order predicted empowerment on two of the three levels. The intrapersonal and community subscales had a positive and statistically significant relationship with the process index. The results also suggested that there was no difference in perceived empowerment between women who were granted a PPO and those who were not granted an Order. The psychometric data on the subscales suggest reliability with Chronbach alpha scores ranging from .82 to .89. The univariate statistics suggest that the women found the steps in the process either easy or very easy. Five themes were extracted from the open-ended question.

Conclusion and implications

The study provides a glimpse into survivors' thoughts on this criminal justice process, and their belief that the act of seeking a Protective Order is empowering. The findings can help social workers, advocates, and criminal justice personnel to better educate their clients prior to seeking a Protective Order of the potential barriers and positive outcomes that could occur. Additionally, the study suggests that social workers should incorporate empowerment theory concepts while working with survivors. Learning that this process predicts feelings of empowerment, workers may incorporate discussions with survivors around the power one gains from seeking a Protective Order.