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UBC Theses and Dissertations
The childbearing experience of women who are childhood sexual abuse survivors Palmer, Becky Carolynn
Abstract
Our society deems the birth of a child to be a joyous occasion. For women survivors of childhood sexual abuse, this is often not so. Over the past decade, some survivors of childhood sexual abuse have begun to reveal what the experiences of pregnancy, birth, and mothering mean for them. They have provided rich information about their violations and have shown us the legacies of their assaults with their actions and with their bodies. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the experience of childbearing for survivors of childhood sexual abuse through listening to and embracing survivors' life stories. Using grounded theory method, the primary objective of this study was to generate a substantive theory explaining the consequences of this abuse in women's lives. A total of 85 audiotaped interviews were completed with 46 survivors of childhood sexual abuse and 22 health care professionals. "Protecting the Inner Child" was identified as the core process used by survivors to navigate the challenges of childbearing. This process consisted of two seemingly competing elements: '(over) protecting self and '(over) protecting their child'. Vulnerability and resiliency were the two core concepts influencing this process. Other influential factors included trigger points (events or emotions) and coping strategies (internal and external forces). A woman's sense of moving beyond survival was ultimately achieved through seeking and finding her own centerpoint—a sense of inner peace and balance. This grounded theory study addresses the complexity of the childbearing experience for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and provides a platform for survivors' voices to be heard. The findings of this study suggest that survivors actively strive to be the best mothers they can be amidst their history of sexual abuse. If survivors' strategies to achieve balance are supported by health care professionals, this process is facilitated. Conversely, if these strategies are not supported, aspects of survivors' abuse experiences may inadvertently be reproduced in their health care experiences. Theory emerging from this study can be used to inform practice so that health care professionals are able to provide care that supports women and facilitates their achievement of balance.
Item Metadata
Title |
The childbearing experience of women who are childhood sexual abuse survivors
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
2004
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Description |
Our society deems the birth of a child to be a joyous occasion. For women
survivors of childhood sexual abuse, this is often not so. Over the past decade, some
survivors of childhood sexual abuse have begun to reveal what the experiences of
pregnancy, birth, and mothering mean for them. They have provided rich information
about their violations and have shown us the legacies of their assaults with their actions
and with their bodies. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the
experience of childbearing for survivors of childhood sexual abuse through listening to
and embracing survivors' life stories. Using grounded theory method, the primary
objective of this study was to generate a substantive theory explaining the consequences
of this abuse in women's lives. A total of 85 audiotaped interviews were completed with
46 survivors of childhood sexual abuse and 22 health care professionals.
"Protecting the Inner Child" was identified as the core process used by survivors
to navigate the challenges of childbearing. This process consisted of two seemingly
competing elements: '(over) protecting self and '(over) protecting their child'.
Vulnerability and resiliency were the two core concepts influencing this process. Other
influential factors included trigger points (events or emotions) and coping strategies
(internal and external forces). A woman's sense of moving beyond survival was ultimately achieved through seeking and finding her own centerpoint—a sense of inner
peace and balance. This grounded theory study addresses the complexity of the
childbearing experience for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and provides a platform
for survivors' voices to be heard. The findings of this study suggest that survivors
actively strive to be the best mothers they can be amidst their history of sexual abuse. If
survivors' strategies to achieve balance are supported by health care professionals, this
process is facilitated. Conversely, if these strategies are not supported, aspects of
survivors' abuse experiences may inadvertently be reproduced in their health care
experiences. Theory emerging from this study can be used to inform practice so that
health care professionals are able to provide care that supports women and facilitates
their achievement of balance.
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Genre | |
Type | |
Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-12-23
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0092396
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
2005-05
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.