Examining the Relationship Between Stuttering, Intimate Partner Violence, and Help-Seeking Behavior
Mumpower, Leah
Citations
Abstract
Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health issue that affects millions of people each year. Women with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to experiencing IPV and may face challenges when reporting abuse. Many victims of IPV do not seek help because of multiple social, familial, and societal barriers. Further, women with communication disorders have a heightened risk of IPV victimization due to reduced ability to report their abuse experiences. Women who stutter may be particularly vulnerable to IPV and face significant challenges when reporting violence and seeking support. Thus, the goal of this study was to explore prevalence of IPV and help-seeking in women who stutter compared to women who do not stutter. No previous research has been done examining IPV in specific communication disorders such as stuttering, particularly in women. Methods: A theoretical framework based on gender and disability was used to explore the prevalence of IPV and help-seeking behavior in women who stutter. Participants were recruited to complete an anonymous online survey through speech-language pathologist referrals and online recruitment methods. Due to the small sample size, differences in IPV and help-seeking behavior between sexes could not be examined. Rather, people who stutter were compared to people who do not stutter regardless of biological sex. Results: Results did not indicate a significant difference in IPV and help-seeking between these groups. A larger sample size should be obtained to determine if these findings are accurate. Conclusion: The findings from this pilot study indicated that there are no significant differences in the prevalence of intimate partner violence and help-seeking behavior between people who do and do not stutter. Because of this small sample size, it cannot yet be determined if these results are an accurate representation of real IPV and help-seeking behavior trends in this population.
