Women Survivors Of Domestic Violence Research Articles

Lived Experiences of Protection Orders among Women Survivors of Domestic Violence

This study examines women’s experiences with domestic violence and receiving a protection order based on fourteen semi-structured interviews with women survivors in Türkiye. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 women survivors who obtained protection orders in Türkiye. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used. The phenomenological analysis revealed two major themes: (a) silence with being blamed and (b) the process of protection orders. While women were able to identify the reasons for violence, such as their partners’ anger and tolerance of violence, they mostly only used the protection order when the level of violence and abuse was unbearable and life-threatening. We discuss how women can protect themselves before their lives become threatening. This study suggests that policymakers and human services should consider protecting women survivors’ well-being both during and after receiving protection orders.

Psychosocial distress, perceived social support, and coping in women survivors of domestic violence seeking help from a women's helpline in urban India.

Domestic violence against women is a worldwide phenomenon and a major public health concern. The adverse effects on the physical and mental health of the women survivors of domestic violence are influenced by various psychosocial factors. This study aimed to understand psychological distress, perceived social support, and coping strategies among women survivors of domestic violence and its implications. It is a cross-sectional study conducted with 30 women survivors of domestic violence from urban Bengaluru who were registered with a women's helpline. Data were collected using a socio-demographic schedule, a self-reporting questionnaire assessing psychological distress, perceived social support scale, and ways of coping scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Psychological distress was the highest among participants facing violence due to perpetrator using alcohol (M = 11.6, SD = 3.9) and (M = 11.73, SD = 3.5) dowry harassment. Perceived social support from family (M = 14.76, SD = 4.54) and friends (M = 11.85, SD = 4.7) was the highest among participants who reported that alcohol use was not a reason for violence. It can be noticed that alcohol use, dowry harassment, and poor coping strategies were the main reasons for domestic violence, which has led to severe psychosocial distress among the women survivors.

The ambivalent visit: Children's experiences of relating with their fathers during staying in shelters for women survivors of domestic violence

AbstractChildren's exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious problem that has been increasingly examined during the last four decades. In the case of severe IPV, children are placed with their mothers in shelters for women survivors of domestic violence (SDV). The current study aimed to understand young children's descriptions of relating with their fathers during their stay in SDVs. Interviews were conducted with 32 Israeli children, aged 7 to 12 years. Two main themes and five subthemes were identified through thematic analysis: (1) Atypical visiting arrangements (subthemes: a lack of understanding about the meaning of supervised visitations, inconsistent and unstable visitations); (2) ambivalent attitudes towards the visiting arrangements (subthemes: enjoying fathers' attention and shared family time, worry and guilt following the visitations, controversial messages from fathers). The findings demonstrate the children's subjective views and emphasize the benefit of gathering qualitative data from young children in the context of exposure to IPV. Findings are discussed in light of the cognitive dissonance reduction theory. Limitations of the study are discussed, along with implications for practice, theory and future research.

Role of Social Support in Women facing Domestic Violence during Lockdown of Covid-19 while Cohabiting with the Abusers: Analysis of Cases Registered with the Family Counseling Centre, Alwar, India.

The present study aims to analyze the role of social support in the lives of women survivors of domestic violence who filed a complaint with the Mahila Salah and Suraksha Kendra (MSSK) Alwar, India, while residing with the abusive husband and his family during the lockdown period of COVID-19. The study explores the role of MSSK with extended vulnerability of women during the lockdown period at large. This study adopts an exploratory qualitative method. A total of 36 married women who had filed a complaint with MSSK before and during the lockdown were included. Interviews with the women were held through telephonic conversations on vulnerability, coping mechanism and extent and forms of social support. Thematic content analysis was done in a stepwise manner. Results show that degeneration of social support model is time -bound and the accuracy of applying this model wane under extended condition of vulnerability caused due to COVID-19. MSSK can expand support by creating and integrating virtual community networks to detect and deter violence during the lockdown. The study suggests that the government can ensure and empower bystanders with skills of modern communication. The existing physical institutional delivery mechanism need to evolve strategies that are resilient to emerging threats from the vulnerable ecosystem.

Effect of art psychotherapy using marbling art on depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in female survivors of domestic violence with PTSD

This study examined the effect of art psychotherapy using marbling art on depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in female survivors of domestic violence with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study was carried out with eight female survivors of domestic violence using an art psychotherapy method with 14 structured marbling art sessions. Quantitative data were collected using the Beck Hopelessness, Depression, and Anxiety scales and qualitative data were gathered using the formal examination of marbling artwork, participants’ verbalizations, and the descriptive method. Descriptive data were presented using frequency, percentages, and arithmetic mean and the non-parametric Wilcoxon Test was used for group comparisons. A statistically significant improvement was found in the participants’ pretest-posttest depression, anxiety, and hopelessness scores. Descriptive analysis revealed that participants reflected their experiences of domestic violence in their marbling works resulting in common themes such as anger, irritation, anxiety, fear of the future, coping, and hope. Thus, art psychotherapy using marbling art had a positive effect in reducing the level of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in women survivors of domestic violence with PTSD. This therapy helped them to uncover their buried traumatic experiences through the creation of metaphoric and imaginative marbling artworks, which were later turned into expressions/narratives.

Perceptions of Police Response to Domestic Violence in Puerto Rico: Law 54 and Human Rights

This article addresses perceptions of police response to domestic violence against women in Puerto Rico after police reforms in 2013. Puerto Rico has high rates of fatalities due to domestic violence and police practices preventing fatalities are found to be lacking. Authors address the intersection of domestic violence against women and the systemic failings of Puerto Rican law enforcement and resistance to handling of domestic violence incidents as required by law. The findings of an exploratory, qualitative pilot study with key stakeholders working with women survivors of domestic violence in Puerto Rico are presented. Using a human rights perspective, the study participants note an association between police response to domestic violence and machismo, patriarchy, and colonialism.

Empowering Women Survivors of Domestic Violence

Abstract Domestic violence is a pervasive public health problem with high societal costs. Domestic violence shelters provide services to women and their children to support their journey away from violence. Music therapy in shelters can be a vehicle of empowerment for these women. In this clinical portrait, I share my experience as a music therapist in a domestic violence shelter, incorporating an overview of the services and theoretical framework we used, reflecting on the function that music may have in this situation, and illustrating it with the case of one of the women that I was honored to meet.

Kehidupan Penyintas Kekerasan dalam Rumah Tangga Pasca Terminasi Layanan

Women survivors on domestic violence (KDRT) who access services at integrated service of women and children protection (P2TP2A) District / City in Aceh Province get holistic services for handling the cases they experience. The comprehensive service provided is able to help some survivors resolve the problem until it is complete and experience the termination process (termination of service), but not a few survivors who no longer continue accessing services so that they also experience a termination process. After termination, various dynamics of life experienced by survivors related to the violence they experienced. This is the background of this research, so that it aims to find out the lives of women survivors of domestic violence in the individual, family and social post-termination services at P2TP2A. This study uses a qualitative approach with narrative methods. Data collection is done by observation and interview techniques. The participants involved in this study were 50 women survivors of domestic violence who had accessed services at P2TP2A after termination. The results obtained from this study are that some survivors are able to see themselves more positively, have the motivation to experience positive changes in their lives, the presence of psychosocial reinforcement from the family and the environment. However, some of the other survivors remained in the domestic violence cycle, despite feeling discomfort. The new findings obtained in this research process are survivors who are reporters and pioneers in handling cases of domestic violence.

Coping strategies of women survivors of domestic violence residing with an abusive partner after registered complaint with the family counseling center at Alwar, India.

Coping is one of the most important and widely studied aspects of domestic violence (DV). Women adopt a wide variety of coping strategies to manage abuse, ranging from individual estrangement to institutional entitlements. The condition of women becomes complex when they seek institutional support while living with an abusive husband and his family under the common hearth. The present study aims to analyze the coping strategy of mediation between informal and formal justice while residing with an abusive husband and his family. Further, the study explores the coping strategy as an outcome of the contextual factor and associated psychological distress. It is a prospective intervention study with a 4-month span building awareness, counseling (individual, couple, and family counseling), and case-specific advice (safety plan, choice-making, and problem-solving). A baseline and endline assessment with SRQ-20 and in-depth interviews were carried out on 299 married women who had registered a complaint with a family counseling center (FCC); Mahila Suraksha Evam Salah Kendra (MSSK) in Alwar district, India. To understand the context and the coping strategy adopted by women, in-depth interviews were carried out. The results show that there is a differential impact of DV, psychological distress, and coping strategy based on contextual factor; women having an informal support system have a better result in coping; and intervention at the formal system resulted in improving coping strategy and simultaneously reducing psychological distress. As the mediation period is interminable and traumatic, the institutional support to women survivors of DV is an important policy alternative for improving survivors' well-being, especially in an unsupportive informal context.

Expressions of Women Survivors of Domestic Violence: Idioms of Distress

Domestic violence is prevalent worldwide; however, there are cultural differences in women’s experiences of this phenomenon. This study used the concept of idioms of distress, to understand the impact of domestic violence on women survivors in India. A qualitative method was adopted, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with six women survivors of domestic violence. Using thematic network analysis, one global theme, four organizing themes and 19 basic themes emerged. The idioms of distress identified included, physiological idioms (such as aches and pains, nutritional deficiencies, reproductive), psychological idioms (such as depression, low self-confidence, change in aspirations and ambitions, mistrust, rumination) and behavioral idioms (such as crying, withdrawal, irritability, disturbed sleep). Of all the idioms, only nutritional deficiencies and the reproductive idioms were of concern to the survivors and their marital family. Implications for improving the screening of domestic violence are discussed based on the identified idioms and the responses toward them.

Exploring primary care responses to domestic violence and abuse (DVA): operationalisation of a national initiative

PurposeIn the UK, the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety (IRIS) initiative has been developed for use within primary care to support women survivors of domestic violence and abuse (DVA). However, while evaluated nationally, less is known regarding impact of implementation at a local level. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of IRIS within one locality in the UK.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study using interviews/focus groups with primary care teams and women who had experienced DVA in one primary care setting in the UK. Interviews with 18 participants from five professional categories including: general practitioners, practice nurses, practice managers, assistant practice managers and practice receptionists. Focus group discussion/interview with seven women who had accessed IRIS. Data were collected between November 2016 and March 2017.FindingsFive main themes were identified for professionals: Team role approach to training, Professional confidence, Clear pathway for referral and support, Focussed support, Somewhere to meet that is a “safe haven”. For women the following themes were identified: Longevity of DVA; Lifeline; Face to face talking to someone; Support and understood where I was coming from; A place of safety.Practical implicationsIRIS played a significant role in helping primary care professionals to respond effectively. For women IRIS was more proactive and holistic than traditional approaches.Originality/valueThis study was designed to assess the impact that a local level implementation of the national IRIS initiative had on both providers and users of the service simultaneously. The study identifies that a “whole team approach” in the primary care setting is critical to the effectiveness of DVA initiatives.

‘They just walk away’ – women’s perception of being silenced by antenatal health workers: a qualitative study on women survivors of domestic violence in Nepal

BackgroundDomestic violence during pregnancy has detrimental effects on the health of the mother and the newborn. Antenatal care provides a ‘window of opportunity’ to identify and assist victims of domestic violence during pregnancy. Little is known about the experience, needs, and expectations from the women's perspective in relation to domestic violence in Nepal.ObjectiveOur study aims to explore how women who have experienced domestic violence evaluate their antenatal care and their expectations and needs from health centers.DesignTwelve in-depth interviews were conducted among women who had experienced domestic violence during pregnancy and utilized antenatal care. The women were recruited from two different organizations in Nepal.ResultsWomen in our study concealed their experience of domestic violence due to fear of being insulted, discriminated, and negative attitudes of the health care providers. The women wished that the health care providers were compassionate and asked them about their experience, ensured confidentiality and privacy, and referred them to services that is free of cost.ConclusionsFindings from our study may help the health care providers to change their attitudes toward women survivors of domestic violence. Identifying and assisting these women through antenatal care could result in improved services for them and their newborns.

Socialt medborgarskap och möjligheten till ett självständigt liv – ekonomiskt bistånd för kvinnor som har lämnat en våldsam partner

Social citizenship and the opportunity for an independent life – Social assistance for women who have left a violent partnerEconomic security is significant for a woman’s possibility to leave a violent partner. In Sweden women under these circumstances are sometimes forced to rely on social assistance. The aim is to understand the social services’ handling of these women applying for social assistance. The study starts from a citizenship perspective, where women’s descriptions are analysed. The study is based on 13 semi-structured interviews in three municipalities with women survivors of domestic violence. These survivors have been highlighted as a prioritized group on the political arena. They meet a social assistance system which is supposed to be built on citizenship rights according to the Social Services Act. From the empirical material, however, we can conclude that the survivors’ basic needs are dependent on means tests in order to assess who is a deserving client in implementing the right to social assistance based on discretionary power on the local level. The survivors describe how the case workers choose in certain cases to prioritize the municipalities’ economy over the intentions of the Social Services Act. It becomes clear that the conditions for receiving social assistance are to be given a subordinate position. The condition for being able to obtain social assistance are described by the survivors as accepting limitations of privacy, autonomy and self-determination. Summarizing, the core of the poor relief logic is that the relief can never be a right for survivors of domestic violence in Sweden.

Battered Women Syndrome: Applying this Legal Doctrine in the Indian Context

Over the last decade, a shift in approach towards domestic violence has taken place and several legal reforms have been directed to assist the survivors. The Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act is one of such law that has been enacted in the year 2005 to provide civil remedies to the survivors besides criminalizing domestic violence. While these legal reforms have been debated within the social as well as legal context, much furor has been created after the Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar pronounced that 'Section 498A has been misused by the disgruntled wives'. However, the other side of the picture has been completely overlooked in these deliberations. This discussion fails to acknowledge the fact that in the cultural context where women's subordination is a norm and often they are socialized to silently tolerate the oppression the law does not consider several significant elements into account. For example, the history of abuse, pattern of violence and a woman’s psychological state or experience are factors in domestic violence cases which may have major impact the outcome of the criminal litigation. The courts need to dwell on same while adjudicating. Nevertheless, in the countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States, the doctrine of the Battered Woman Syndrome has gained legitimacy in psychological and legal spheres and is applied to defend those women survivors of domestic violence who are held guilty of killing their oppressors under the law. The courts in India have not applied the Battered Woman Syndrome concept until recently when the Delhi High Court in its landmark verdict while applying this doctrine held a male accused guilty of abetting suicide of his wife. This work looks at this doctrine of the Battered Women Syndrome and its applicability in the Indian context.

Financial consequences of leaving violent men – women survivors of domestic violence and the social assistance system in Sweden

ABSTRACTBeing self-sufficient, having an economy of your own, does not only safeguard basic resources such as food and shelter but is also a prerequisite for ensuring full participation in society. Research shows that women subjected to domestic violence often suffer from economic abuse and experience economic hardship within and after their relationships. Without economic support it is harder for abused women to break up and the risk of returning to a violent partner increases. The aim of the article is to understand how survivors of domestic violence experience financial vulnerability and what implications these experiences have on social work within the social assistance system. Based on 13 in-depth interviews with women survivors, our study describes how debts and stolen money, together with difficulties on the labour market, affect their ability to have a reasonable economic standard (long) after breaking up. Several of the women describe how social workers in different ways have recognized them by giving emotional support, cognitive respect and social esteem. However, social workers have also mimicked patterns of abuse from their ex-partners.

Shelters for Women Survivors of Domestic Violence: A View from Turkey

Violence against women is a worldwide phenomenon, and while levels vary from country to country, comparatively Turkey has rather high rates of violence targeting women. One study noted that forty-t...

Life after the Storm: Voices of Women Survivors of Domestic Violence

Life is certainly not a fairytale and in this kind of situation, “happily ever after” is not very common. These are the stories of five women-survivors of domestic violence who dreamed of having a happy family, but in the end, their dreams contradicted reality. This interpretivist qualitative study was designed to look into a deeper understanding of collective accounts of women-survivors of domestic violence. The narrative inquiry was employed using the in-depth interview method. The study revealed that these women experienced various forms of domestic violence and were caused by men’s bad habits, problems arising from the family, and jealousy of a man or a woman. Several strategies were employed by these women to improve their lives. This tough decision to free themselves from the abuse made them better individuals, developed a stronger bond with their children, and increased faith in God. Keywords - Domestic Violence, Violence against Women, and Children, Survivors

Help-seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support.

Informal and formal support for women experiencing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) can improve safety and health outcomes. There has been little qualitative work on the role of both pathways to support and women's experiences of disclosing their experience of DVA in different contexts. This qualitative study used repeat interviews with women survivors of DVA to explore their pathways to support and their experiences of barriers and facilitators to disclosure and help-seeking. Thirty-one women seeking help from specialist DVA agencies in the UK were interviewed twice over 5months. Women recounted long journeys of ambivalence, often only disclosing abuse after leaving the perpetrator. Access to specialist support rarely came via general practitioners, despite high levels of consulting for anxious and depressed feelings, and was more often facilitated by police or housing agencies following a crisis such as assault. Informal disclosure only led to specialist help if the family member or friend themselves had experience or knowledge of DVA. Women experiencing DVA need earlier access to specialized DVA services. Many women needed an 'enabler' to facilitate access, but once this contact was made, disclosure to other professionals or to family and friends was legitimized in the eyes of the women. Safely accessible publicity about DVA services and an appropriate response from social and health-care professionals should be promoted, including support for women disclosing DVA to take action on the information they receive about services.

Challenges for a local service agency to address domestic violence -a case study from rural Indonesia.

Since the launch of a Zero Tolerance Policy in Indonesia, several policies to address domestic violence have been enacted. The obligation of local governments to establish service units for women survivors of domestic violence is one of them. Since domestic violence is a sensitive and complex issue in Indonesia it is important to understand how governmentally regulated services function in practice. This case study aimed to explore challenges faced by a local service agency in managing service provision for women survivors of domestic violence in rural Indonesia. Data from one focus group discussion (12 participants), four individual interviews, six short narratives, two days of participant observation, as well as archive reviews were collected. All data were analyzed using Grounded Theory Situational Analysis. The major challenge faced by the local agency was the low priority that was given them by the local authorities, mirrored also in low involvement by the assigned volunteers in the daily service. The study also identified a gap between the socio-cultural arena and the law & policy arena that needs to be bridged to avoid that the two arenas address domestic violence in a contradictory way. Budget allocation to support the sustainability of the daily routines of service agencies has to be given priority. There is also a need for careful considerations regarding the composition of personnel involved within daily management of service agencies addressing domestic violence. To bridge the gap between the legal systems and traditional cultural values, culturally adjusted alternative justice systems could be developed to increase women’s access to legal support.

The Integration of Healing Rituals in Group Treatment for Women Survivors of Domestic Violence

This article describes a therapeutic group for domestic violence survivors that incorporated healing rituals and rites of passage to help participants move past a “liminal” state in which their social identity and personal narratives continue to be characterized by the abuse experience. Through the creation and use of healing rituals, blessings, poetry, art, and music, the women in the group establish “communitas” and support each other in the work of self-reclamation and healing. The group, “Rites of Passage” is intended for women who have completed shelter-based crisis interventions, and uses a structured curriculum that incorporates theoretical and philosophical concepts from anthropology, postmodernism, humanistic psychology, social work, and existentialism. Through the creation and practice of idiosyncratic and incorporated or modified existing rituals, women in the groups strengthen social bonds, develop a sense of hope for the future, reestablish an empowered sense of self, and continue their healing journey from domestic violence.