COMMUNITY-SERVICES FOR ABUSED WOMEN - A REVIEW OF PERCEIVED USEFULNESS AND EFFICACY

This review of 12 studies examines both the types of community and pro fessional services that abused women most frequently contact and how u seful and effective the women perceive those services to be. These stu dies show that police, social service agencies, clergy, crisis lines, physicians, psychotherapists, women's groups, and lawyers are the sour ces of assistance abused women most frequently contact. However the st udies reveal that some of these services are not necessarily perceived as very useful or effective. Women tend to contact different services depending on the type of abuse suffered. Abused women report that cri sis lines, women's groups, social workers, psychotherapists, and physi cians are helpful most of the time for all types of abuse, and that po lice officers, lawyers, and clergy are not helpful in most types of ab use. Results of this review suggest the need for education of professi onals and community service providers in understanding needs of abused women.