Impact of violence in the lives of women: restriction and resolve.

The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of violence in the lives of women. Participants (N = 495) responded to an open-ended question asking them to describe how violence has influenced their lives. The data were analyzed using procedures of content analysis. The responses were divided into paragraphs, each reflecting a different experience with, or thought about, violence as described by the participants. The paragraphs were grouped in the following categories: childhood abuse, adult abuse, one-time stranger violence, specific risk for violence, abuse of friends or acquaintances, fear of random violence, reflections about violence in society, and no experiences with violence. The categories are described and direct quotes from the participants are included. Two themes that were salient in all categories, restriction and resolve, are identified and discussed.