Browsing by Author "Wuerch, Melissa Anne"

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Open Access
Intimate Partner Violence in Rural and Northern Communities: A Canadian Perspective
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2020-06) Wuerch, Melissa Anne; Wright, Kristi; Klest, Bridget; Juschka, Darlene; Williams, Jaime; Beshai, Shadi; Martin, Stephanie
Over the past decade, research has largely focused on the type, frequency, and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) incidents, and has also documented the significant long-term consequences associated with experiencing IPV. To date, a large proportion of research examining IPV in relation to geographical location has focused on urban centres, which cannot be generalized to non-urban areas due to landscape differences (Burke, O’Campo, & Peak, 2006). Furthermore, a small proportion of research has begun to explore the complexities associated with living in rural and northern regions; however, the bulk of these studies span international contexts, and thus, cannot be generalized to a Canadian context (e.g., Beyer, Wallis, & Hamberger, 2015; Zakar, Zakar, & Abbas, 2016). Therefore, although important contributions have been made to increase our understanding of IPV in rural and northern communities, research examining this important topic within a Canadian context is limited (Moffitt, Fikowski, Mauricio, & Mackenzie, 2013; Wuerch, Zorn, Juschka, & Hampton, 2019; Zorn, Wuerch, Faller, & Hampton, 2017). This community-based research expanded on two previous studies, entitled “Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations” and “Rural and Northern Community Response to Intimate Partner Violence,” which were funded by SSHRC and SSHRC/CURA, respectively. The purpose of the current investigation was to: (1) explore the challenges that service providers face when supporting survivors of IPV in rural and northern communities, (2) explore the barriers that survivors of IPV face when seeking refuge in rural and northern communities, and (3) identify helpful and/or promising practices being implemented within geographically diverse regions in Saskatchewan. Thus, semi-structured, qualitative interviews were completed with 16 services providers from rural regions and 16 service providers from northern regions within Saskatchewan, Canada. Data collection and analysis was guided by thematic analysis as recommended by Braun and Clarke (2016) through a phenomenological lens (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). Six overarching themes were identified for rural communities, including Root Causes of IPV, Barriers to Leaving IPV Relationships and Accessing Services, Areas in Need of Improvement and Change, Working with Indigenous Peoples, Promising Practices in Rural Communities, and Overall Perception of Work as a Service Provider. In addition, six overarching themes were identified for northern communities, including A Cycle of Disadvantage, Barriers to Leaving IPV Relationships and Accessing Services, Areas in Need of Improvement and Change, Concern about Court Structure and Police Services, Promising Practices in Northern Communities, and Overall Perception of Work as a Service Provider. Higher order themes and subthemes were further identified for the overarching themes. The knowledge gained from the current research will be used to enhance, inform, and improve the effectiveness of national services and the allocation of funding to support survivors of IPV in rural and northern communities within Canada.
Open Access
Support-Seeking and Quality of Life in Female Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2015-08) Wuerch, Melissa Anne; Hampton, Mary; Asmundson, Gordon; Juschka, Darlene; Stewart, Michelle
Previous research suggests that women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) report severe physical and mental health consequences, as well as poor quality of life. One approach to dealing with the negative effects of IPV is for women to seek support through informal support networks, such as family and friends, and formal support services, such as shelters, counselling programs, and social assistance. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between informal support, use of formal services, and quality of life, using a diverse sample of Canadian women who experienced IPV. Data analysis was conducted to explore two hypotheses. It was hypothesized that: 1) satisfaction with informal support would be predictive of better quality of life, above the effects of demographic characteristics (i.e., age, cultural background, education level, employment status, total income in past year, and number of children), experiences of abuse (i.e., severity of childhood abuse, severity of IPV), and number of informal and formal supports accessed; and 2) satisfaction with formal support would be predictive of better quality of life, above the effects of demographic characteristics (i.e., age, cultural background, education level, employment status, total income in past year, and number of children), experiences of abuse (i.e., severity of childhood abuse, severity of IPV), and number of informal and formal supports accessed. A supplementary analysis was also conducted to explore the relationship between experiences of childhood abuse and satisfaction with support received from informal networks and formal services. Data were analyzed from a larger research project known as “The Healing Journey: A Longitudinal Study of Women Affected by Intimate Partner Violence.” Results suggest that satisfaction with informal support and formal services was significantly associated with better quality of life. In addition, employment status was associated with better quality of life, while severity of childhood abuse experienced and cultural background were found to be significantly associated with lower quality of life. Explanations of findings, as well as scientific and clinical implications, are addressed. This study will add to the existing research literature and aid in the development of resources and services for women seeking refuge from IPV.