Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Phenomenological Exploration of Women’s Relationship Narratives withFormerly Incarcerated Male Family Member Convicted of Sexual Offense
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Sexual offenders as a population present a unique constellation of issues when considering re-entry to the community post-incarceration. This study is a first attempt to delve into the nature ofrelationships betweenwomenin Appalachiaand their male relative who is a formerly incarcerated sexual offender. Informed by an intersectional feminist framework and symbolic interactionism, this study will interview 20 women who report maintaining a relationship with amale relative who has been convicted,and subsequently incarcerated for, of a sexual offense, in effort to extract the essence of daily lived experience in the context of multiple identities and social locations. A feminist phenomenological approach based on Husserl’s philosophy and Van Manen’s method will be utilized, whereby the researcher will utilize bracketingprior to further data investigationand analysis, in effort to distill the distinct experiences of these unheard women.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Kathleen O'Rourke is a doctoral candidate at Virginia Tech working in the clinical field of Marriage and Family Therapy within Southwest Virginia. Her research interest focuses on the experiences of women who continue to maintain relationships with a formerly incarcerated male convicted of a sexual offense. After moving here from NYC and beginning her doctoral internship with a local community services board, the history and impact of Appalachian culture on family systems and processes emerged as a rich source of personal and meaningful scholarship.
Phenomenological Exploration of Women’s Relationship Narratives withFormerly Incarcerated Male Family Member Convicted of Sexual Offense
Sexual offenders as a population present a unique constellation of issues when considering re-entry to the community post-incarceration. This study is a first attempt to delve into the nature ofrelationships betweenwomenin Appalachiaand their male relative who is a formerly incarcerated sexual offender. Informed by an intersectional feminist framework and symbolic interactionism, this study will interview 20 women who report maintaining a relationship with amale relative who has been convicted,and subsequently incarcerated for, of a sexual offense, in effort to extract the essence of daily lived experience in the context of multiple identities and social locations. A feminist phenomenological approach based on Husserl’s philosophy and Van Manen’s method will be utilized, whereby the researcher will utilize bracketingprior to further data investigationand analysis, in effort to distill the distinct experiences of these unheard women.
