Hare (2010) studied the reasons that led women victimized by their intimate partners to either support or confront the idea of a trial. To resolve this research problem, Hare (2010) took a closer look at abused women’s opinions regarding their abusers going to trial. Empirical exploration of victimized women’s experiences as well as opinions with reference to the response by the U.S. Criminal Justice System has been in the center of the scholarly debate in the recent decade. In tune with numerous other studies, this study wanted to address a gap in knowledge about victims’ opinions on the potential imprisonment of their intimate partners and explore the root of their willingness or unwillingness to proceed with a legal action against their abusers.
Hare (2010) assumed that victims’ opinions of the trial process were likely to depend on the severity of violence inflicted on them by their intimate partners. Hypothesis 1 was that victims of intimate partner violence that experienced more severe and more frequent abuses were likely to express their support of the idea of going to trial. Hypothesis 2 predicted that those victims of intimate partner violence who opposed going to criminal trial would explain their reluctance by four levels of the ecological model. Hypothesis 3 assumed that the opinions of the victims who wanted the trial could be summarized within the goals-of-sentencing framework.
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"Intimate Partner Violence: Victims’ Opinions".
Data were collected and analysed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. In order to determine factors that influenced whether or not the participant pressed charges the researcher used qualitative methods. During the interview, the researcher initially asked the participant a closed question. The researcher then followed up on the closed question by asking the participant an open question, such as, why did you feel that way. In order to avoid biases in the research, all interviewers were trained on remaining neutral while asking questions.
In order to determine why victims of intimate partner violence chose to prosecute or not prosecute the defendant, the researcher coded participant’s responses. This allowed the researcher to derive themes based on the answers provided. In addition, the researcher also calculated descriptive statistics in order to determine the percent of individuals that choose to prosecute the defendant.
The study sample included randomly selected individuals from all criminal cases related to felony or misdemeanour that had been filed during the prosecution period. 94 women victims took part in the study. Male participants (n=6) were excluded from this study. All participants were found using statewide resources. All participants had a previous case against an individual for intimate partner violence. The participants chosen to participate in this study had all been involved with the defendant at the time of the crime. Approximately 3/4ths of participants reported they were in a relationship with the defendant at the time of the incident. The remaining participants reported previously being in a relationship with the defendant when the crime occurred. Since the majority of participants were in an intimate relationship at the time of the incident, the research found it necessarily to determine if these individuals were still in a relationship with the defendant. Approximately 20% of participants who reported being in a relationship at the time of the incident said they were still together with the defendant.
Demographically, the age of participants varied from 12 to 52; average age – 32. The study sample was found to consist of white (80%), black, Latina, Asian and Native Americans (respectively, 11% and 10%). . Only a small percentage of participants (37%) reported having educational attainments higher than a high school diploma. The majority of participants (45%) reported their household income as being less than $20,000 per year. There was a strong variation in participants that had children. Nearly 25% of participants reported they did not have children. An additional 25% reported having three or more children. The remaining half of participants had 1-2 children.
The results of the study show that among 37% of the supporters of the trial the following findings were obtained (Hare, 2010): 1) older individuals were less supportive o of the idea of trial while younger people were more supportive; 2) history of victimization played an important part, with those who underwent victimization; 3) people who had severe injuries because of intimate partner violence tended to support the idea of the trial more fervently. In qualitative analysis, it emerged that financial and emotional bonds prevented people from supporting going to trial. Besides, some women opposed the trial to prevent emotional and physical harm to children and to secure support from family and friends. Therefore, the study hypotheses were confirmed.
The study concluded with the reflection of its role in understanding the opinions of women regarding taking to the court men’s cases. Victims extensively supported the filing of charges, but further proceedings made them reluctant. Hence, the researcher argued that most individuals were not in favor of going to trial in cases that involved intimate partner violence. However, there was an evident degree in variability amongst participants who wanted to go to trial and who did not want to go to trial. The researcher concluded that certain variables including age and harm inflicted tended to influence the individual’s decision to press charges or drop the case.
It is recommended that these data be considered by the prosecutors who will gain a better insight into the perspectives expressed by the witnesses. Also, the data should be considered by specialized DV courts and court officials (Hare, 2010).
- Hare, S.C. (2010). Intimate partner violence: Victims’ opinions about going to trial. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 765-776.
