Feminist Beliefs Associated with Young Women's Recovery from Male-Perpetrated Abuse

We identified no empirical investigations of ways in which feminist beliefs might protect women from the effects of male-perpetrated abuse. Thus, we used a qualitative approach to explore this association. We conducted 32 interviews with women who reported prior experiences of male-perpetrated abuse. The results suggest that feminist beliefs have protected these women by (a) decreasing self-blame and shame; (b) promoting a connection to, and support from, other women; (c) recognizing that they are not alone; and (d) enhancing personal agency and power. We discuss the importance of future quantitative research in this area to further inform feminist-inspired interventions.