Review: Women Living with Self-injury
Women Living With Self-Injury
Copyright Christine R. Marlow, Families in Society Sep/Oct 2001
Self-injury by women is a subject given little attention in the literature. Most self-injury research and writing has focused on its impact on people with developmental disabilities. As Hyman states: “Self-injury appears to be the most taboo subject to talk about, the last secret a woman is willing to disclose” (p. 23).
Self-injury includes “actions such as self-cutting, -hitting, and -burning as deliberate, repetitive, and socially unacceptable harm to one’s body without a conscious attempt to die” (p. 4). An early quote in the book states: “… I would get a hammer from the toolshed and beat on myself. It didn’t feel weird … because it felt good and it helped me vent my frustration … It was only when people found out about it and were saying that it was extreme behavior and it’s called ‘self-destructiveness’ and ‘self-injury’ and all these labels. Then I realized it was wrong, but even then, I was like: ‘I don’t care. It feels good’.” This book is startling and emotionally laden reading, but the author handles the subject carefully, respecting and honoring the women’s perspective.
Hyman’s book includes the details of in-depth interviews with 15 women. The interviews present a fascinating view of these women’s lives and the secrets they carry with them, giving us glimpses of their pain and suffering. Through these interviews Hyman explores the complexities of self-abusive behavior and explores some of the causes of self-injury among women, primarily related to repeated abuse, particularly sexual abuse as a child. The women talk about the secrecy surrounding self-injury, coping with the workplace, and the impact on family, lovers, and friends. Various treatments available for selfinjuring women, both self-help and professional are also discussed. An extensive list of resources in the United States, Canada, and England is also included.
Historically the assumption is made that self-injury is a negative behavior accompanied by secrecy and shame. Hyman, to her credit, acknowledges that she initially assumed the women would want to rid themselves of this behavior if they could. The women discuss the differences between their own terms for what they do and the terms used in the helping professions. Through this process the study disclosed that self-injury can actually be beneficial for women, saving them from suicide and sometimes possibly homicide. This strengths or coping approach is one of the major contributions of this book and it demonstrates the author’s openness to the subject under study and her ability to draw from the women’s accounts in an authentic manner. Hyman also adopts a very responsible and ethical perspective to the subject, warning the reader early on that some of the personal experiences quoted in the book give graphic descriptions of self-injury that may be upsetting or even trigger self-injury in some self-injuring readers.
The book could have been strengthened by adopting more of a scholarly perspective, including presenting a more thorough historical and cultural context to the issue of self-injury, and perhaps introducing some alternative interpretations than those offered. Notably missing was greater exploration of a feminist perspective and analysis, although presenting the women’s perspective is in itself extremely valuable. From a methodological perspective, more thorough and detailed case histories of the women interviewed would have given the reader a fuller understanding of the women’s views and experiences by providing a fuller context. Moreover, a more culturally and socioeconomic diverse sample would definitely increased the utility of the findings. Surely self-injury is not limited to White, middle-class women, or is it? This book does not answer that question. As a consequence, one has to wonder whether the treatments and resources offered in this book are only appropriate for the sample in this study.
However, in all fairness, Women Living With SelfInjury is not necessarily seeking an academic audience. Instead the author is trying to make this sensitive topic available and accessible to the public. As Hyman states: “Esther, Barbara, Elizabeth, and Erica, like all my informants, hope that this book, with their own words and experiences, will promote understanding and compassion for self-injury and help break down secrecy and shame. They want to be able to be truthful about their actions with friends, families, co-workers, physicians and therapists” (p. 9). Women Living With Self-Injury is an important first step in making public self-abusive behavior. It does so in a revealing, fascinating, and responsible manner, greatly increasing our understanding of self-injury and its treatment, and should be required reading for social workers, counselors, and therapists.
Christine R. Marlow is Associate Dean The Graduate School, New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM.
