Investigating the Role of Context, Meaning, and Method in Violence Against Women in Atlanta, Georgia, 2000-2002

The study was conducted to determine the prevalance of physical and sexual victimization, and to develop a new model of victimization. A total of 600 women participated in the study, consisting of two samples: a sample of 403 incarcerated women at the Metro State Women's Prison in Atlanta, Georgia, and a sample of 197 poor urban women in nonemergency health care clinics. Participants were interviewed once for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and answered questions about intimate partner violence (with their most recent partner and/or with a previous partner), physical health, emotional well-being, experiences of traumatic life events, strategic responses to abuse, experiences of child abuse, and other related experiences/knowledge. In addition to self-reports, data was gathered from prison records for the incarcerated sample.