Learning From Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence: Decentering DV and the Primacy of Gender Stereotypes

Abstract

Up to 8 million American children witness domestic violence (DV) every year. Since this discovery in the mid-1980s, psychologists and social service professionals have conducted research with children exposed to DV. This ethnographic study expands on existing research by examining how youth exposed to DV perceive their experiences and staff interventions. Findings show they draw on gender stereotypes for behaviors, and these frequently resist DV education and the advocates' suggestions for coping. Findings also showed the staff's formal interventions with the youth contradict gender norms and their casual interactions with the youth often inadvertently reinforce stereotypical gender identities and behaviors.