The Wilderness Based Experimental Groups

Method – Women seek assistance and encouragement from frontline professionals, teachers, health professionals, social workers and police officers that protect adults from the abuses

There are seven key elements to wilderness therapy that include: engagement in action-centered therapy, use of unfamiliar environment or situations, manufacturing and maintenance of change, application of activities for continuous assessment, focus on group development and community, solution focused therapy, and a shift in therapist roles. (Tucker, Javorski, Tracy, & Beale, 2013). Other constructs that are central to wilderness therapy are challenge by choice, risk and stress, using “natural-logical” consequences, and learning through experience (Foundations of Adventure Therapy, 2007).

There are many different types of abuse and individual cases of abuse usually involve a different combination of these different types.

My program, "The Wounds of Words," was held on the campus of area high schools. Three women spoke; one was a specialist on dating and domestic violence, and the other two were survivors of emotionally and physically abusive relationships. Approximately two hundred people attended the program; some came out of concern for loved ones, others came out of concern for themselves. Regardless of their reasons for coming, I knew as I listened to the speakers and their courageous stories that if one girl could be saved from the emotional abuse that may await her in the future because of my program, the program was a success.

The abuse is usually frequent enough that the victim internalizes it. This leaves the victim feeling fearful, insignificant, untrusting, emotionally needy, and unlovable. Survivors of this form of abuse have a hard time understanding why they feel so bad (Munro, K. 2001.).

People who experience PTSD experience “a whole-body tragedy, an integral human event of enormous proportions with massive repercussions.” (Banitt). PTSD is a common mental disorder that over 7.8 percent of Americans will experience (NDVA). Traumatic stress, such as war, sexual abuse or assault, gang violence, etc. can cause PTSD. There are a few known ways that can help treat and prevent this disorder, but more research can help develop these methods, or new methods.

Women all over the world are constantly living in fear of sexual assault or abuse. Catherine Thorbecke from abc NEWS proclaimed that “One in three women will experience some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime.” This striking statistic exclaims how many women have to experience such a repulsive violation that affects their physical condition. The victim feel violated and can not go through their lives the same. After a victim gets sexually assaulted or abused they do not feel comfortable in their own bodies anymore.

The four types of abuse are; sexual, emotional, physical, and neglect. All four types of abuse can lead to depression and possibly suicide. When a survivor is abused, their mental and physical health deteriorates. Abuse as an adolescent can haunt the victim for a long period of time, even later in adulthood. The study titled, Adult Survivors of Child Abuse: An Application of John Gottman’s Sound Marital House Theory states,

If wilderness therapy can benefit teens and those with substance abuse disorders, why couldn’t it benefit women who are victims of domestic violence? I think the wilderness of the ocean could be therapeutic. Overcoming obstacles in a natural setting, can aid women in overcoming and halting the cycle of domestic violence as well as the healing process. The Mary Kay Foundation has backed and supported domestic violence departments across the country by offering financial funding to assist building nature explore classrooms in DV shelters McKain, 2011). By incorporating natural areas within the shelters, McKain (2011) suggests a healing setting is created for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Establishing a natural environment that promotes peace, harmony and healing aids in the recovery of

Abuse is a serious issue in people’s lives. We should be more aware of it. We should see the Signs. People don’t take abuse serious enough because people don’t like to talk about it. The people that go through it feel ashamed, and they think that it’s not a problem. People think they should suck it up and take it. They think it’s there is something wrong with them. There isn’t anything wrong with them; they should be able to tell their story. Doesn’t matter what type of abuse you go through, sexual, physical, or mental. It’s real and it’s not your fault. People who are abused are more likely to engage is serious crime than anyone else. So if we don’t pay attention it can get worse then what it already is. Abuse no matter the type

Every minute twenty four people are victims of abuse in the United States, that’s more than 12 million women a year. People seem to wear a mask until they are behind closed doors. Abuse has affected the victim and suspect both and there are many reasons for everything.

More significantly, eighty-one percent of women experiencing multiple abusive relationships demonstrated PTSD and higher psychopathology compared to women experiencing a single abusive relationship.

The researchers have used fifty-four Israeli women between the ages of 18 to 43 years old, who were domestically abused and lived in shelters with

Do you know of anyone who has ever been abused or is currently being abused? Abuse comes in many different forms which include verbal, emotional, physical, sexual, and neglect. If you are a victim of sexual abuse there are things you can do. People live in fear because of their abusers. There are places you can go, and people you can call. If you know of someone who is being abused call the abuse hotline.

Many individuals tend to misinterpret sexual abuse and it's true delicacy. Although sexual abuse is often a violation against women, both genders can be victims. Victims can succumb to mental disorders, including PTSD and depression, which can initiate an unhealthy lifestyle to the point of triggering a contemplation of suicide.