Too many, too often

Psychologist: Almost half of T&T's women in abusive relationships

By Sue-Ann Wayow sue-ann.wayow@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created: Oct 2, 2011 at 1:49 AM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 2, 2011 at 1:49 AM ECT

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Psychologist Brenda Jeffers stands next to her poster which was voted as the best by attendees at the recently held Institute of Violence, Abuse and Trauma 16th international conference at San Diego, California, USA.

 

ALMOST half of the nation's women, rich and poor, who are involved in intimate relationships, are being abused, according to a study done by clinical psychologist Brenda Jeffers.
And many do not even know that they are victims, said Jeffers.
The study, completed in 2008, showed that the women interviewed suffered from physical, physiological and sexual abuse.
Jeffers is the clinical director of the Piparo Empowerment Centre that assists people dealing with substance abuse and addictions.
Jeffers was accepted along with her co-author and supervisor Professor Dr Gerard Hutchinson to participate at the 16th International Conference on Violence, Abuse & Trauma held at Alliant International University, San Diego, California, last month.
Jeffers won the People's Choice Award for the poster that she presented.
The study: "Battered Women in Trinidad: A Survey of Intimate Partner Violence," was the first study of its kind undertaken locally.
The findings presented had been undertaken as a research project for the requirements for the Masters degree in Clinical Psychology, which Jeffers completed in 2008. This Masters programme was recently introduced at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies.
Jeffers said she developed an interest in understanding the various dimensions of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the Trinidad population because of the often reported incidents of IPV.
The study surveyed two groups of women, samples of women from the prison and battered-women shelters, and the general community.
Jeffers said 46 per cent of the women interviewed from the community were considered to be battered.
She said, "I think that culturally we are a nation that generally tolerates abuse. When I say tolerate the abuse, some of the women are not even aware that they are abused. For instance psychological abuse is abuse; they don't classify a man controlling and telling you how to think and how to behave as abuse. They see it as alright that the man's wish is at my command, and even sexually."
She said, "A lot of women are abused sexually within the intimate relationship and they don't classify it as abuse. The man does abusive things."
Jeffers said battered women suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) criteria, sexual and intimacy problems, difficulties with body image and disrupted interpersonal relationships.
She said IPV needed to be recognised as a major problem in this country as it was internationally and more research was needed in the field.
"We need to see culturally what is needed in Trinidad as opposed to what the abuse might be like in the US so that we could treat the women better."
Jeffers said, "For instance a woman might go to the hospital for a broken arm. We need to have proper screening to find out if that was a result of abuse and help her to escape that relationship or escape that situation or deal with it in a positive way."
She said women also needed to be educated about what a healthy relationship should be, hence the need for the research.
Jeffers said she had plans to do additional research "so that the appropriate intervention strategies can be developed".

 Source:  http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Too_many__too_often-130927963.html