Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2025

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
Young Women's Silence and Voice in the Context of Male-Perpetrated Violence
Tanja Samardzic1, Paula C Barata1, Mavis Morton1
1University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
Abstract:
Our work examines when young women who have experienced abuse choose to (not) speak out and what creates the conditions for (not) doing so. We interviewed 17 heterosexual, partnered women aged 18 to 24 who had experienced intimate partner violence. Many linked silence with fear/anxiety and understood speaking out as a threat to their relationship, while others spoke up despite possible consequences and called their partners out. Some experienced fear at the thought of speaking out but did so anyway. This study nuances understandings of silencing in the abuse context and may contribute to youth programming concerning decisions around (not) speaking out.
Related Concept Videos
Bullying
Bystander Effect
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Aggression
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Conduct Disorder

