Abused women less likely to be in stable relationships

A new study of more than 2,500 women shows that poor women who have been abused sexually or physically are less likely to maintain stable relationships.

The study, conducted by sociologists at Johns Hopkins University and Penn State found that the women want fair treatment and companionship from their partners. Many who were abused as adults have decided to avoid marriage and cohabitation. Those sexually abused as children were less likely to completely avoid relationships; they tended to engage in numerous short-term abusive relationships.

Although there is no indication of increased abuse rates, more women may be postponing intimate relationships.

"What's changed over the past few decades is the social context of abuse," said Andrew Cherlin, lead author of the study. "Women don't have to stay with abusive men anymore because they have alternatives to marriage."

The researchers surveyed 2,402 hispanic, black and white women in Boston, Chicago and San Antonio. An addition 256 women were studied in-depth for several years. All of the women studied were the primary caregivers of at least one child.

Fifty-two percent of women reported being physically or sexually abused at some point during their lives. Twenty-four percent said they were sexually abused during childhood or adolescence.

Forty-two percent of women who had never been abused were married at the time of the survey, compared to 22 percent of women who had ever been abused. Of the 256 women studied in depth, one-sixth -- many of whom had been physically abused as adults -- said they were taking a timeout from intimate relationships with men.

"Women's decision to take a timeout from such relationships is an important one for policymakers to understand," said co-author Linda Burton. "These women are not saying they will never enter intimate relationships again, but, rather, they need recovery and reflection time from abuse they experienced as adults to avoid entering a subsequent abusive relationship."

Cherlin and Burton suggest the number of healthy, stable, long-term relationships might be increased by reducing levels of sexual and pysical abuse. In addition, they argue that marriage promotion policies at the state and federal level also need to focus on the outcomes of abuse.

The study was published in the January 21 issue of American Sociological Review