When Battered Women Stay... Advocacy Beyond Leaving

This paper raises the key issues, questions, and dilemmas regarding advocacy with battered women who stay in their relationships. It discusses the limitations of safety strategies for leaving, and frames the issues central to the expansion of advocacy beyond leaving, including: 1) safety planning and advocacy with victims who stay; 2) ending violent and controlling behavior; and 3) knowing what children need to be OK.

This paper is #20 in the Building Comprehensive Solutions to Domestic Violence (BCSDV) Vision Series.