Incest Survivors' Life-Narratives. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Buchbinder, Eli; Sinay, Dalia
• Is Part Of: Violence against women. Volume 26:Number 8(2020)
• Page Start: 803
• Page End: 824
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: incest survivors -- life-narratives; Abused women -- Periodicals; Women -- Crimes against -- Periodicals; Violent crimes -- Periodicals; Femmes victimes de violence -- Périodiques; Femmes, Crimes contre les -- Périodiques; Crimes violents -- Périodiques; 362.8292
• DOI: 10.1177/1077801219847295
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-8012

Abstract

This article analyzes the narratives of survivors of father−daughter incest using 20 in-depth interviews with women, each asked to choose a title for her life-story and reflect on its meaning. Three narratives emerged: "Surviving" tells of a struggle for personal achievement in an independent life alongside intensely traumatic experiences and negative feelings, "Fighting Back/Seeking Vengeance" tells of aspiring to strength by acting on their will to fight back and desire for revenge, and "Growing" reflects the wish to fight and win a place in the world through a "rebuilding" process. The conceptualization of incest survivors' life-narratives is based on the dialectical perspective.