Research has shown that music can be a powerful tool for growth and healing. Music therapists reach a broad range of people with varying needs and disabilities. One population that often falls through the cracks are women and children that suffer through sexual abuse and domestic violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (2019) cites statistics that show that IPV affects more than 12 million people each year, and females 18 to 34 experience the highest rates of IPV. They also state that “30 to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the household” (National Domestic Violence Hotline 2019). Numerous studies, such as “Exploring Negative Emotion In Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: Shame, Guilt, And PTSD” and “Intimate Partner Violence Exposure In Early Childhood: An Ecobiodevelopmental Perspective,” have suggested the negative effects IPV can have on a person and the lifelong trauma it can cause. Many of these women and children end up in shelters after leaving their partners. This presents a dire need of services to help meet the needs of their daily lives, as well as cope with the trauma they have faced. Studies have been done on various music therapy methods, “The Bonny method of guided imagery and music with intimate partner violence” (Hahna 2004) and “Supportive Music And Imagery With Sandplay For Child Witnesses Of Domestic Violence: A Pilot Study Report” (Kang, 2017) suggests that music therapy is an effective tool and way for people to deal and recover from trauma.
Trauma can look different for everyone but many women will often suffer from issues of self-esteem, anxiety, identity crisis and high levels of depression (Juan, 2016). A 2016 study discussed the use of music therapy for 17 women who had survived IPV from a cultural perspective. Music Therapy techniques used included group music presentation, improvisation, etc. Data was collected based on client self-report following music therapy interventions. Participants in this study expressed increased self-discovery, and ideas to improve upon those insights. The stimulation of images and sensations through sound (SISS) is one of the music therapy interventions used in this study and “This article highlights the results of working with songs, instruments and with the SISS technique as an aid for bringing about indirect catharsis” (Juan, 2016, p. 22). SISS “Involves listening to a sequence of recorded musical fragments of varying durations designed by the music therapist for a given patient’s or group’s unique situation” (Juan, 2016, p. 22). The idea of this technique is that each sequenced musical stimuli will stimulate memories that the patient may have repressed unconsciously.
Researcher Huan-Jun Kang conducted a pilot study to examine the use of supportive music and imagery with sandplay as a technique to improve emotional and behavioral adaptability for children who had witnessed IPV(2017). The Participants were three children living in a domestic violence shelter. Kang conducted research on how supportive music and imagery with sandplay is an effective technique to use with children. The results found that self expression increased with this therapeutic technique. Kang’s research states that “the findings demonstrated that the intervention of Music and Imagery with sandplay could have a positive effect on the improvement of children’s self expression” (Kang, 2017, p. 77). A case study in 2013 conducted by Pasiali on family based therapy with children who have been exposed to IPV or experienced domestic violence stated that progress was slow but this could be due to time constraints and the length of time it may take to re-establish bonds between children and parents after they have had such negative experiences (Pasiali, 2013, p. 261). Healing can take time, but the end result is worth it.
Based on this research found, it is evident that music therapy is a need for this population and should be more readily available to those in shelters. Given that these studies have a small sample size and are qualitative, there is a need for more research in order to build a strong body of evidence-based clinical techniques. More quantitative research should be done so that the argument for music with this population can be backed up. However, from the small research found, it is clear the profound effect music can have for survivors of IPV. Having it available in shelters would greatly affect the IPV cycle and help these survivors get on their feet again.
-Sara Demlow, Music Therapy Intern
References/Sources
Beck, J., Mcniff, J., Olsen, S., Avery, M., Hagewood, J., (2011). Exploring negative emotion in women experiencing intimate partner violence: Shame, guilt, and PTSD. Behavior Therapy, 42, 740-750. http://dx.doi.org10.1016/j.beth.2011.04.001
Hahna, N. & Borling, J. (2004). The Bonny method of guided imagery and music with intimate partner violence. Journal of the Association for Music Imagery, 9, 41-57.
De Juan, T. F. (2016). Music therapy for women survivors of intimate partner violence: An intercultural experience from a feminist perspective. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 48, 19-27.
Kang, H. J. (2017). Supportive music and imagery with sandplay for child witnesses of domestic violence: A pilot study report. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 53, 72-79.
Pasiali, V., (2013). A clinical case study of family-based music therapy. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 8, 249-264. http://dx.doi.org10.1080/15401383.2013.821925
Smith, R., (2012). Intimate partner violence exposure in early childhood: An ecobiodevelopmental perspective. Health and Social Work, 38, Issue #4, p.231-239. http://dx.doi.org10.1093/hsw/hlt018
National Domestic Violence Hotline (2019). Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.thehotline.org/resources/statistics/