Finding a Life Without Domestic Violence: Analysing Free Text Data from the ALSWH (VIRTUAL)
Tracks
Springbrook Room
| Thursday, December 2, 2021 |
| 1:24 PM - 1:44 PM |
Overview
Dr Lyn Francis & Associate Professor Virginia Stulz, Western Sydney University
Speaker
Dr Lyn Francis
Senior Lecturer
Western Sydney University
Finding a Life Without Domestic Violence: Analysing Free Text Data from the ALSWH (VIRTUAL)
Abstract
Aim
This project examines women’s’ free text responses from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s’ Health (ALSWH) regarding their experiences of domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse and social support.
Methods
Since 1996 the Australian Government Department of Health has funded the ALSWH to collect data on health and service use from three cohorts of women born in 1973-78, 1946-51 and 1921-26 and a fourth cohort of women since 2013 for women born 1989-85. The study collecting quantitative and qualitative data has been based at the University of Newcastle and University of Queensland (Loxton, Tooth, Harris et al., 2018).
Qualitative data comprising of responses to the open-ended question at the end of each quantitative survey “Have we missed anything?” has been analysed. The analysis of the qualitative data for this project has been undertaken using thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) and a narrative inquiry framework (Riessman, 2008). The comments from women, who chose to include them, provided a rich source of data regarding their experiences of abuse and social support collected over time.
Key findings
Women have identified their experiences of abuse in relationships and the types of social support they have received. Domestic violence was not always recognised as abuse by women. Women who have experienced domestic violence were more likely to have experienced prior abuse, including sexual abuse, as a child. Social support was useful but women did not always feel listened to by others including their GP and specialists.
Implications for practice
This research will enhance understanding of how women construct meaning of domestic violence over time and provide the opportunity for support services to provide assistance to women who may not acknowledge abusive relationships. The opportunity for a collaborative model of care to be developed has impacts for women, their children and the wider community.
This project examines women’s’ free text responses from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s’ Health (ALSWH) regarding their experiences of domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse and social support.
Methods
Since 1996 the Australian Government Department of Health has funded the ALSWH to collect data on health and service use from three cohorts of women born in 1973-78, 1946-51 and 1921-26 and a fourth cohort of women since 2013 for women born 1989-85. The study collecting quantitative and qualitative data has been based at the University of Newcastle and University of Queensland (Loxton, Tooth, Harris et al., 2018).
Qualitative data comprising of responses to the open-ended question at the end of each quantitative survey “Have we missed anything?” has been analysed. The analysis of the qualitative data for this project has been undertaken using thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) and a narrative inquiry framework (Riessman, 2008). The comments from women, who chose to include them, provided a rich source of data regarding their experiences of abuse and social support collected over time.
Key findings
Women have identified their experiences of abuse in relationships and the types of social support they have received. Domestic violence was not always recognised as abuse by women. Women who have experienced domestic violence were more likely to have experienced prior abuse, including sexual abuse, as a child. Social support was useful but women did not always feel listened to by others including their GP and specialists.
Implications for practice
This research will enhance understanding of how women construct meaning of domestic violence over time and provide the opportunity for support services to provide assistance to women who may not acknowledge abusive relationships. The opportunity for a collaborative model of care to be developed has impacts for women, their children and the wider community.
Biography
Lyn is currently working as a Senior Lecturer at Western Sydney University and has qualifications in nursing, midwifery, early childhood, health management and law. Lyn’s doctorate was regarding women leaving or ending domestic violence and social support during that process. Current research areas include gender equity and gender-based violence and analysis of free text data from ALSWH. Lyn has published several journal articles in collaboration with other researchers and is currently working with local area health regarding women leaving domestic violence and the experience of mothers during covid 19 and co-supervising 3 research higher degree students.
Associate Professor Virginia Stulz
Associate Professor Of Midwifery
Western Sydney University NSW Australia
Finding a Life Without Domestic Violence: Analysing Free Text Data from the ALSWH (VIRTUAL)
Abstract
Please see Dr Lyn Francis
Biography
A/Prof Virginia Stulz is currently working in a conjoint position between Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District and Western Sydney University. Virginia is currently Chief Investigator on one major research project in five Local Health Districts of NSW that improves birth options for women. She recently worked in NSW across four Local Health Districts on a major research project in an effort to improve and explore student midwives’ experiences. She mentors and supports midwives in the local health district with their research projects. She collaborates with other university academics across Australia and New Zealand as a member of the Trans Tasman Midwifery Education Committee (TTMEC) and is currently the Chair for the TTMEC. She is currently leading one national research project with this consortium that explores characteristics of support within new graduate programmes within Australia and has recently completed and published another study that focused on midwives’ experiences during COVID-19. In collaboration with other researchers, she has published 25 peer-reviewed journal articles over the past five years in areas of complementary therapies, midwifery education, factors affecting birth practices, gender-based violence and women’s health. Virginia is currently supervising six higher degree research students as a primary supervisor and co-supervising two students.
