| Learning Objective #1: Identify three similarities in the experiences of abused women in Japan and the United States | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe three cross culturally appropriate ways to facilitate healing from family violence |
Method: A cross- cultural interpretive phenomenological study of survivors of wife abuse was conducted with three women in Wakayama, Japan and three women in Galveston, Texas. An additional interpretive phenomenological study was conducted online with advanced practice nurses who shared clinical stories of family violence from their practice. Data were analyzed using a multi-stage interpretive process that proceeded from whole to parts and back to whole with ongoing attention to maintaining the situational context to guide interpretation of meanings.
Findings: The cross- cultural study identified commonalities and differences between the survival processes of abused women in Japan and the USA. Survivors also described practices that helpers engaged in to facilitate their healing and provide support. The second study provides narratives from the perspective of advanced practice nurses that identify and describe healing practices and ways of being survival facilitators.
Conclusion: These findings serve to enhance cross-cultural understanding of the complex process of supporting women in their healing from experiences of family violence. Healing practices and ways of being facilitators articulated here may be useful for increasing the effectiveness of nurses, counselors, and other helpers in working with this pervasive and significant health problem.