Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i19MJ4I25933; Mon, 9 Feb 2004 17:19:05 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 17:19:05 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <s027a45a.006@nmail.epcc.edu> Errors-To: listowner@nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Andres Muro" <AndresM@epcc.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:2840] domestic violence and ABE X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 6.0.3 Status: O Content-Length: 9064 Lines: 32 Hi everyone! I submitted an article about domestic violence and adult ed to the Journal of ABE. They recommended that I do extensive rewriting of the article before they could publish it. Unfortunately, I am way to lazy to do this. So, I probably will not revise it for a while. However, I wanted to share some of the collected data, that may be useful, interesting, revealing to some of you. If you want the entire article, let me know. Andres One hundred and eighty-seven Mexican Immigrant women answered the questionnaire. They were enrolled in either ESL, literacy or GED classes. Seventeen of them were under 20 years old, and 11 students were over 65 years old. The rest were evenly spread out between 20 and 65 years old. The mean age was 40.6 years. Twenty-one percent reported to have no children, and 79% had at least one child with the mean number of children being 2.6. Forty-three percent had only attended elementary school, thirty-four percent had attended junior high school, ten percent had attended high school, six percent had attended tech school, four percent had attended some college, one percent had a certificate of completion and two percent had an associate's degree. Thirty-nine percent lived alone, fifty-six percent lived with a husband, two percent lived with a boyfriend, and three percent lived with a friend. Twenty-four percent reported to be US citizens, forty-nine percent were resident aliens, and twenty-seven percent reported to be neither citizens nor residents. Seventy-three women reported to live alone and 113 women reported to live with someone. The percentages below are from the students who reported to live with someone. On average, 100 students answered each question. Twenty-eight percent of the women reported that they were not supported by their spouses/partners all the time, or felt that their spouses/partners were sometimes critical of them for attending school while neglecting their house chores, at least rarely. Twelve percent reported that they were not supported by their children all the time, or felt that their children were sometimes critical of them for attending school while neglecting their chores. The questionnaire developers felt that the above responses are examples of emotional trauma brought about by school, and affecting schoolwork and performance. If students don't feel supported, they will feel uncomfortable sharing school experiences with family or spending time preparing for school and doing homework. In fact, 36% of the women felt guilty about neglecting house chores, their children, or felt like dropping out of school at least on rare occasions. Interestingly, while only about 30% reported to lack family support, 70% reported that they would do better in school with more support from spouses/partners and 50% wished that their spouses/partners helped more at home, so that they could focus more on school. Thirty percent of the women felt sad about going home from school or felt like leaving their spouses, at least rarely. These responses show that their homes and their relationships with spouses were a cause for some anxiety. The above responses document how women felt about school and family. The following responses document how women were actually treated. Thirty percent were told by their spouses/partners to attend to them or their children before focusing on school, or gave them reasons not to finish their homework or go to school, at least rarely. Four percent reported that their spouses hid their books or school materials, at least rarely. Three percent reported that their spouses/partners destroyed their books, or homework, or spied on them to see whom they sat with in school, at least rarely. Twenty three percent reported that their spouses/partners accused them of talking to other men, being unfaithful, or followed them to school to see whom they talked to, at least rarely. Twenty four percent reported that their spouses/partners screamed, or insulted them, put them down, or made verbal threats, at least once. Thirty three percent reported that their spouses/partners get jealous at least rarely. These responses show direct interference by spouses with schoolwork. It is not that women feel a lack of support, but that the spouses/partners actually engage in behaviors that subvert the women's ability to focus on school, go to school, or do school work. These behaviors are a form of violence that operates at an emotional level, causing guilt, anxiety, frustration, and depression in women likely leading to poor performance or dropping out. The next responses show actual physical violence, which constitute a criminal offence. Seven percent of the women reported that their spouses/partners pushed them, physically restrained them or destroyed things, at least rarely. Four percent reported that their spouses/partners slapped, hit, kicked them, or threatened them with a gun, at least rarely. Eleven percent reported that their spouses/partners grabbed their breasts, buttocks, genitals, or forced them to have sex at least rarely. Twenty percent of the women reported that their spouses/partners had abused them either physically, emotionally or both prior to them starting school. Women definitely felt that they needed additional support. Forty-nine percent felt that counseling would help them to do better in school. Thirty nine percent felt that their spouses should talk to a counselor. Forty three percent felt that school should offer counseling. After concluding the questionnaires, the students in various classes discussed concerns with the facilitators. Some observations by facilitators, and student concerns are listed below. · The majority of the students wanted to discuss the questionnaire extensively. · The emotional responses to the questionnaire varied from class to class. Some classes showed indifference, some extreme emotion, some requested additional information and some reported to have friends, relatives, or neighbors who were victims of domestic trauma. · Some students felt that men should have participated in questionnaire and listen to the discussions that followed, so they could understand what women go through. · Some students felt that women should form discussion circles to discuss issues outside of the classroom. · Some women did not feel that some of the behaviors in questions 26-30 reflected abusive behavior or were the result of attending and educational program. · Although the students were told that the questionnaires were anonymous, some students were worried that their spouses would find out their responses to the survey. · Some single students stated that they were presently not victims, but had been victims in the past. · Some students felt that abuse towards the elderly was an issue. · One woman felt that it was premature for her to answer the questionnaire because she had only recently enrolled in school after getting married. · A couple of women bragged about abusing their husbands. · A question about women being afraid of reporting abuse because of immigration status was not included in the questionnaire. Conclusions Based on this study there is evidence to indicate that a significant number of women, Mexican immigrant students attending ESL, literacy or GED programs are victims of domestic trauma. The study also suggests that some forms of trauma emerge because women start to attend school. Specifically, women feeling guilty about neglecting house chores or husbands subverting their spouse's educational pursuits are the result of women attending school. However, women also reported that violence existed prior to them attending school. So, while school causes some trauma, existing trauma also continues during school, or trauma increases because of school. It is important to note that the questionnaires were given after three weeks of the start of a given class. It is possible that some women, victims of trauma, may have dropped out in the first three weeks. If this were so, the percentages of women reporting trauma might have been higher. Based on this study there is evidence indicating that women need additional support or interventions such as counseling for themselves or their families. In fact, women felt that these interventions would improve their chances of succeeding in school. Anecdotal evidence from our program supports this. Women students at EPCC/CEP experiencing domestic trauma, including severe physical violence, completed classes with the aid of counseling and other interventions. Ultimately, if a significant number of women attending adult education programs are victims of domestic trauma, appropriate interventions will likely increase their chances of completion. While this study is clearly indicative of the need for some interventions, it was done with a specific population of Mexican immigrants. In order to draw broader conclusions about women and trauma in literacy and adult education programs, this study must be replicated in other settings with different demographics.
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