Unlocking stories: older women’s experiences of intimate partner violence told through creative expression

McGarry, Julie; Bowden, Dawn

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Intimate partner violence (IPV) exerts a detrimental impact on the lives and health of all who experience abuse. This includes both physical and mental health and wellbeing. The experiences of older women however may be different and these differences may not be recognised or accounted for within existing care provision.
AIM
To explore the impact of IPV on the lives and health of older women told from the particular perspective of older women themselves as these accounts are largely absence from existing IPV discourse.
METHOD
An arts based research approach with five older women survivors of IPV through the co-development and organisation of an arts based workshop. The workshop essentially encompassed four main arts strands and included the creation of clay models and poetry.
FINDINGS
The findings of the study highlight the significant impact of IPV on the lives, mental health and wellbeing of older women. This included feelings of social isolation, inability to trust others and a loss of self-identity.

Citation

McGarry, J., & Bowden, D. (2017). Unlocking stories: older women’s experiences of intimate partner violence told through creative expression. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 24(8), 629-637. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12411

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 3, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jul 6, 2017
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jul 21, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 21, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
• Print ISSN: 1351-0126
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2850
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 629-637
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12411
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/966066
• Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpm.12411/abstract
• Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: McGarry, J. and Bowden, D. (), Unlocking stories: older women's experiences of intimate partner violence told through creative expression. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs., which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12411. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
• Contract Date: Jul 21, 2017