Intimate Partner Violence and Social Relational Theory: Examining the Influence of Children and Important Others on Mothers' Transition Out of Violent Relationships

Interviews with survivors of intimate partner violence were conducted in order to gain information on the transition from violent relationships to new non-violent relationships. A subset of this data was re-analyzed using Social Relational Theory to gain further insight into the roles of children and important others who were identified as impacting this transition for mothers who had exited violent relationships. This paper reviews two major themes discovered during the SRT analysis that were inherent in the women’s experiences: 1) agency of children, family, peers, and community; and 2) power. In addition, this paper suggests implications for research, intervention, and psychotherapeutic practice.