title: Is length of shelter stay and receipt of a protection order associated with less violence and better functioning for abused women? Outcome data 4 months after receiving services.
abstract: To provide differential effectiveness on length of stay at a shelter and receipt versus non-receipt of a protection order (PO), and outcomes of violence, functioning, and resiliency, in 300 abused women (150 first-time users of a shelter and 150 first-time applicants for a PO) who participate in a 7-year study with outcomes measured every 4 months. Four months after a shelter stay or application for a PO, abused women staying 21 days or less at a shelter reported similar outcomes compared with women staying longer than 21 days. Similarly, women receiving and not receiving a PO reported overall equivalent outcomes. Seeking shelter or justice services results in similar improved outcomes for abused women 4 months later, regardless of length of stay at the shelter or receipt or no receipt of the PO. Contact with shelter and justice services results in positive outcomes for abused women and indicates the urgent need to increase availability, accessibility, and acceptability of shelter and justice services.
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX, USA jmcfarlane@twu.edu.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Symes
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maddoux
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gilroy
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: disclosure of domestic violence; domestic violence; intervention/treatment