ABSTRACT
These women are not merely victims; they are survivors. Several years after participating in this study, their resilience prevails despite continued hardships, some springing directly from the violent relationships they endured, and some from gender and class issues in American society. For several women the violence and its aftermath spans more than 15 years, including the years before they became involved in the study. Follow-up interviews with seven of the women (two could not be contacted) reveal their experiences since the study was completed in 1983. The picture that emerged, together with interpretive analysis and implications for policy and human service practice on behalf of battered women and their children, conclude the study.
