Most domestic violence (DV) service agencies work to raise DV survivors' consciousness-- not just about the abuse they have experienced, but also about the systems they often face. Critical consciousness-raising is one component of "empowering practices," which is a related goal of domestic violence programs. Despite the significance of these concepts to DV service delivery, little is known about how consciousness-raising practices in the DV shelter context impact survivors. For instance, the literature is not yet clear regarding how critical consciousness is related to psychological outcomes such as self-efficacy among survivors of DV. In order to explore these effects, 98 women were interviewed shortly after they left a DV shelter about their experiences while accessing services. Results demonstrated that women who reported shelter staff engaging in more DV consciousness-raising practice also reported greater shifts in their DV critical consciousness, and subsequently their self-efficacy during their time in shelter. This finding lends support to the assertion that gaining greater understanding of the effects of society- wide oppression on one's personal experiences can lead to a greater belief in one's general ability to meet one's goals. -- Abstract.
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