Victim to Victor: A Qualitative Investigation of Religion/Spirituality in Women after Interpersonal Violence

How relationships with God, others, and self-support recovery—and how we can train coaches and clinicians to help.

This mixed‑methods study explored how women who experienced interpersonal violence (IpV) used religion and spirituality (RS) to heal, combining in‑depth interviews with a national survey. Researchers found three core themes — Connection to God, Connection to People, and Connection to Self — and an overall pattern called “Relationally Reflective,” as important to healing.  Clinicians and others in the helping profession may guide this reflection across these relationships to support recovery and growth following trauma (Stiers et al., 2024). 

Key Discoveries & Benefits: 

• A three healing domains: The study identified three relational areas—relationship with God, with others, and with themselves—together help people move from victimhood toward recovery (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Faith, relationships, and self‑reflection matter: Survivors described using prayer, scripture, trusted people, and personal reflection to process trauma and find hope (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Reflection helps healing: Women who intentionally reflected on God, others, and themselves reported better meaning‑making and peace—a process the authors call Relationally Reflective (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Faith can help or hinder: While many found RS supportive, some reported spiritual struggle (questioning God or faith), so providers need to spot and address harmful spiritual coping as well as strengthen helpful faith resources (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Communities and clergy matter: Faith communities and trusted people are often key supports, and many survivors welcome faith‑sensitive help from clinicians and peers (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Solid mixed‑methods support: Combining interviews and a national survey gives credible, practical insight that can guide clinical practice and training despite sample limits (Stiers et al., 2024). 

Why This Strengthens HHCI Services and GTHU’s Training: 

This study gives HHCI and GTHU strong, practice‑focused support for integrating faith into trauma care: by showing survivors heal through intentional reflection on God, relationships, and self, it validates training clinicians and peer‑coaches to assess spiritual needs, strengthen supportive faith networks, and address harmful spiritual coping as part of trauma treatment (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Trauma specialty training: Teaches clinicians and Trauma‑specialty trainees to assess and work with a client’s faith, social supports, and self‑identity—skills shown to aid processing after IpV (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Peer & coach training: Validates training paraprofessionals and peer leaders to facilitate safe, faith‑sensitive reflection, connect survivors to supports, and recognize when to refer for clinical care (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Faith‑integrated care at HHCI: Confirms client openness to discussing RS and supports HHCI’s model of integrating spirituality into trauma treatment, while emphasizing ethical boundaries and collaboration with faith community leaders (Stiers et al., 2024). 

• Intake & screening practices: Justifies adding brief questions about RS, social supports, and self‑view to intake forms used at HHCI and taught in GTHU so care can be tailored and progress monitored (Stiers et al., 2024). 

Join HHCI and Gateway to Hope in turning these findings into practice—help us train coaches, faith communities, and clinicians to guide survivors in faith‑sensitive reflection, strengthen community supports, and deliver trauma care that heals the whole person. 

Madeline R. Stiers, Robin K. Rogers, and James W. Ellor, “From Victim to Victor: A Qualitative Investigation of Religion/Spirituality in Women after Interpersonal Violence,” Social Work & Christianity, 51(1), 2024. https://doi.org/10.34043/y8xk7w97