Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) often feel pressured to forgive their abusers and remain in dangerous relationships. However, forgiveness does not have to include reconciliation and it may be conceptualized in different ways. This quantitative study surveyed 110 women who experienced IPV from men and separated from their abusers. It then examined (a) the prevalence of 20 different beliefs about forgiveness and (b) the relationship between those beliefs, the women’s self-reported practices of forgiveness, and the women’s intent to return to their abusers. The study asked whether different beliefs about forgiveness were—in combination with different levels of forgiveness—associated with intent to return to abusers. It found that women’s beliefs about forgiveness varied widely, but only 4.6% of the women believed that forgiveness involved reconciliation. In contrast, 80% of the women believed it was simultaneously possible to forgive and to avoid the men who hurt them. When interaction analyses were conducted, significant interactions were found between three beliefs and women’s self-reported practices of forgiveness. For two beliefs, the interactions were positively associated with intent to return to abusers (i.e., a belief that forgiveness involves reconciliation, and a belief that forgiveness involves treating a person better than before). For one belief, the interaction was negatively associated with intent to return (i.e., the belief that it is possible both to forgive and to avoid a person). Results suggest that women’s beliefs about forgiveness matter. Women are more likely to return to abusers if they believe forgiveness involves reconciliation or treating their abusers better than before. They are less likely to return, if they believe it is possible to forgive their abusers and still avoid them. Interventions targeting women’s beliefs about forgiveness may increase their safety.

中文翻译：

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在应对亲密伴侣暴力时，女性对宽恕的信念很重要


遭受亲密伴侣暴力 (IPV) 的女性常常感到有压力，需要原谅施虐者并继续保持危险的关系。然而，宽恕不一定包括和解，它可以以不同的方式概念化。这项定量研究调查了 110 名经历过男性 IPV 并与施虐者分开的女性。然后，它研究了 (a) 20 种关于宽恕的不同信念的普遍程度，以及 (b) 这些信念、女性自我报告的宽恕实践以及女性重返施虐者身边的意图之间的关系。该研究询问关于宽恕的不同信念（与不同程度的宽恕相结合）是否与重返施虐者的意图相关。研究发现，女性对宽恕的看法差异很大，但只有 4.6% 的女性认为宽恕涉及和解。相比之下，80% 的女性认为，可以同时原谅并避免伤害她们的男性。当进行交互分析时，发现三种信仰和女性自我报告的宽恕实践之间存在显着的交互作用。对于两种信念，互动与重返施虐者的意图呈正相关（即，相信宽恕涉及和解，以及相信宽恕涉及比以前更好地对待一个人）。对于一种信念来说，这种互动与回归的意图呈负相关（即相信可以原谅一个人，也可以避开一个人）。结果表明，女性对宽恕的信念很重要。如果女性相信宽恕意味着和解或比以前更好地对待施虐者，她们更有可能回到施虐者身边。 如果他们相信可以原谅施虐者并仍然避开他们，他们就不太可能回来。针对女性宽恕信念的干预措施可能会增加她们的安全。