ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the qualitative narratives of various women members of the Growth Circles program offered by Calgary’s Peer Support Services for Abused Women. These support and psychoeducational peer-led groups provide women abused by intimate partners the opportunity to learn about the dynamics of intimate partner violence, to share their experiences and receive support from other women. Trained volunteers facilitate the programs, most of whom have a history of partner abuse. Peer-led support groups offer a seldom-researched option that, according to the women in the study, provide a high level of support and information to those abused by intimate partners. The chapter also presents the in-depth perspectives of various Growth Circle members with respect to their backgrounds, how they accessed the programs and their reflections on the value of the input from their peers, the group leaders and the groups. The participants commented about the structure and organization of the Growth Circles.
