Date

10-14-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Laura Rolen

Keywords

domestic violence, minority victims, law enforcement, court system, victim support services

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

This phenomenological study used a qualitative approach to develop an understanding of lived experiences of minority domestic violence victims. The six open-ended questions were designed for the participants to describe their experiences when interacting with law enforcement, the court system, and victim support services. African American and Hispanic participants between the ages of 18 and 55 were recruited from domestic abuse treatment or support facilities and social media outreach. Potential participants completed an eligibility screening to determine whether they met the inclusion criteria. Interviews were conducted with 13 African American and Hispanic participants until data saturation was reached, indicating that no new themes or insights were emerging from participant responses. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data collected from interviews. The analysis identified 10 themes in participants’ experiences with law enforcement, the court system, victim support services, and the overall interaction with the criminal justice system. The themes included feeling dismissed and misunderstood; variability in law enforcement response; the need for trauma-informed training and victim-centered policing; feeling unheard and unsupported in court; delays, communication barriers, and procedural challenges; positive support and advocacy; gaps in services, the need for system-wide reform; building a victim-centered criminal justice system; and expanding training and resources. These findings contribute to policy development and support improvements in victim-centered responses to domestic violence.

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