受暴原住民婦女復原力保護因子之探究

A Study on the Resilience Protective Factors of Indigenous People Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence

家暴被視為是影響健康的公衛問題，而本國籍原住民婦女有較高的受家暴比例，本研究嘗試以復原力的概念作為基礎，探討受暴原住民婦女形成復原力的保護因子，作為後續相關實務工作人員處遇的參考依據。本研究採取三方的研究對話，分別是18位提供受暴原住民專業人員、7位具有受暴經驗且脫離暴力關係的原住民、10位相關領域專業學者，分別透過焦點團體訪談、個別深度訪談、修正式德懷術研究法，探討受暴原住民復原力的保護因子。研究分析採定向性內容分析，先以家暴復原力文獻的四個面向（生活脈絡、關係網絡、個人生活、個人能力），以及在復原過程的自我認同、文化認同、生活穩定，結果建構出4×3，總計12個範疇、29個家暴復原力保護因子，透過修正式德懷術專家的問卷調查與討論，最終修正有39個復原力保護因子。最後，本研究結果分別對未來研究、實務工作、專業人員培訓提出建議。

Research Motivation and Objective

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognized as a significant public health issue with profound implications for both psychological and physical wellbeing. The impact of IPV on women’s health is extensive and multifaceted, affecting not only their emotional and physical stability but also their overall quality of life. In Taiwan, Indigenous women face a disproportionately higher risk of domestic violence compared to Han women, with reported cases steadily increasing over the past five years. The prevalence of both general domestic violence and physical violence-related IPV is significantly higher among Indigenous populations, a concerning trend that does not account for unreported cases resulting from denial or underreporting. This study adopts the concept of resilience as a theoretical framework to examine how Indigenous women navigate and leverage personal and environmental resources to escape violent relationships and develop protective resilience factors. By understanding these resilience mechanisms, this research aims to inform future intervention strategies and serve as a valuable reference for practitioners working with IPV survivors.

Literature Review

Drawing from an extensive literature review, this study categorizes resilience into four key protective dimensions contributing to recovery and empowerment. The first dimension, collective resilience within the sociocultural context, highlights the role of environmental protective factors and socio-ecological resilience in shaping an individual’s ability to recover from IPV. The second dimension focuses on supportive resilience through social networks, emphasizing the importance of informal support from family and friends and formal support provided by professional services. The third dimension, achievement-oriented resilience in personal life, underscores how Indigenous women’s pursuit of relationship change is often influenced by their roles as mothers, as their responsibilities toward their children serve as a driving force for transformation. Lastly, empowerment-based resilience through personal capacity-building demonstrates how acquiring knowledge and skills strengthens resilience, ultimately fostering recovery and long-term well-being.

Research Methodology

This study employs a tri-perspective approach, integrating data from three distinct participant groups based on the research objectives and methodological framework. The first group consists of 18 professional service providers, including social workers, psychologists, and counseling professionals who offer direct support to Indigenous survivors of IPV. These participants were recruited online, with a prerequisite of at least one year of professional experience in their respective fields to ensure their expertise in addressing IPV-related issues. The second group comprises seven Indigenous women who have experienced IPV but have successfully exited or terminated their abusive relationships. Their lived experiences provide crucial firsthand insights into the process of resilience and the factors contributing to their recovery. Through their narratives, this study seeks to understand the complex interplay between personal, social, and cultural influences in overcoming IPV.

The third group includes ten academic experts specializing in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, social work, and Indigenous studies. Their scholarly expertise offers a theoretical and interdisciplinary perspective on resilience, helping to contextualize the findings within broader frameworks of trauma recovery, social support systems, and cultural identity.

Focus group discussions are conducted to facilitate collective reflections and shared experiences among participants. At the same time, in-depth individual interviews provide a more personalized and detailed understanding of their resilience-building processes. Additionally, a modified Delphi method is utilized to refine and validate the identified protective factors through iterative expert consultation. By synthesizing these diverse perspectives, the study aims to understand resilience mechanisms within the Indigenous IPV survivor community comprehensively. This study employs a directed content analysis approach, drawing upon four key dimensions of resilience identified in the literature on IPV recovery. Additionally, the analysis incorporates three crucial aspects of the recovery process–self-identity, cultural identity, and life stability. The findings resulted in a 4 × 3 analytical framework encompassing 12 categories of resilience factors, which were subsequently refined through expert consultation, leading to a final total of 39 resilience protective factors using the modified Delphi method.

Research Results

Within the dimension of collective resilience in sociocultural contexts. Faith based support networks and a strong sense of cultural belonging were found to play a significant role in fostering psychological security and aiding in the healing of trauma experienced within intimate relationships. Survivors who maintained a strong connection with their Indigenous identity experienced a greater sense of belonging, which in turn facilitated emotional and psychological recovery. Furthermore, support from mutual aid groups, nongovernmental organizations, social welfare services, and law enforcement agencies emerged as crucial sources of long-term assistance. These external support systems provided material aid and emotional resilience, reinforcing survivors’ ability to rebuild their lives.

The study revealed that IPV survivors benefit from emotional and practical support through their interpersonal relationships, including family members, members of their tribal communities, their children, and professional service providers. These supportive relationships instilled renewed hope for the future as survivors found strength in the social bonds that reinforced their ability to move forward. The study also found that professional intervention, whether through counseling, social work, or legal advocacy, played a critical role in providing survivors with guidance and psychological reinforcement. The analysis of achievement-oriented resilience in personal life protective factors. Survivors of IPV often undergo a process of reevaluating their life trajectories, which allows them to develop a clearer sense of self-determination. Many survivors expressed a heightened identification with their parenting roles, which served as a motivating factor in breaking free from restrictive cultural and societal expectations. The ability to establish stable employment and achieve economic independence was also a critical component of recovery, as financial stability directly influenced their capacity to sustain a life free from violence. Finally, the study examined empowerment-based resilience through individual capacity. The findings indicated that IPV survivors engaged in a process of self-reflection and self-discovery following their experiences of trauma. Many survivors developed a renewed sense of motivation to leave violent relationships and actively sought pathways to improve their well-being. In addition to recognizing their strengths, they also deepened their understanding and appreciation of their cultural identity, further reinforcing their self-worth. This process ultimately contributed to their ability to reintegrate into society with greater confidence and adaptability.

Discussion and Recommendations

This study’s findings propose several recommendations for future research, practical interventions, and professional training. For future research, Expanding the scope of research participants would help validate the generalizability of the findings and provide a more comprehensive understanding of resilience among different Indigenous communities. In terms of practical interventions, domestic violence prevention among Indigenous populations should not be limited to addressing violent incidents or reducing risk factors at the environmental level. Instead, efforts must also focus on understanding the interplay between cultural environments and individual characteristics, as these factors significantly influence how survivors navigate IPV and develop resilience. IPV intervention services for Indigenous communities must, therefore, acknowledge the cultural specificities of different Indigenous groups to ensure that prevention strategies and support services are both relevant and effective. A culturally informed approach is essential to fostering meaningful engagement with survivors and enhancing the overall efficacy of intervention programs. Regarding professional training, cultural sensitivity training should be incorporated into capacity-building programs for service providers working with Indigenous IPV survivors. By integrating a culturally attuned perspective, professionals can offer support more aligned with Indigenous women’s lived realities, fostering trust and establishing positive collaborative relationships.