David Katerndahl, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229
Sandra Burge, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229
Robert Ferrer, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229
Johanna Becho, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229
Robert Wood, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229

Abstract: This study was to determine the multi-day relationships among stressors, need and taking action (seeking counseling, taking legal action, leaving) by women in violent relationships. Women with recent husband-to-wife abuse but not at high-risk for life-threatening violence were recruited from six primary care clinics and asked to complete a daily description of the previous day's violence, need-for-action, and stressors using Interactive Voice Response via telephone for 8 weeks. Taking action (seeking counseling, taking legal action, leaving) was determined via weekly telephone contacts. To identify day-to-day recurrent strings, we used orbital decomposition, limiting time series to 29 women who took action during the study. Multi-day patterns were not common in taking action and are unrelated to violence. Only one 5-day string involving seeking counseling was identified in which women felt a lack of control. While taking legal action was part of five 5-days strings, each string consisted of one day of taking legal action within four days of no need-for-action, violence or stalking. Finally, one 4-day string that began with leaving coupled with spouse s excessive alcohol intake but no violence was noted. Hence, decisions to take action in violent relationships are not typically multi-day decisions linked to violence, but rather sudden events triggered by loss of control, his alcohol intake or unique situational factors.

Keywords: domestic violence, decision making, spousal abuse, care seeking