Representing Selves, Reconstructing Lives: Feminist Group Work with Women Survivors of Male Violence

Drawing upon feminist and social constructionist positions, anthropology, and narrative ideas, this paper describes and illustrates, with examples from practice, a framework for social work with groups of women who are being battered and raped by husbands and boyfriends. Emphasis is on the role of resistance and protest in developing one's own self representation and proclaiming it in definitional ceremonies. The framework is consistent with feminist anti-violence movements' construction of violence and domination.