ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Indigenous women experience high rates of family violence-related head injuries. At present, lived experience accounts from Indigenous women are absent, which results in incomplete understandings and inadequate responses that have detrimental impacts on them and their families. The aim of this study was to gain insight into Indigenous women's personal and family perspectives regarding violence-related traumatic brain injury (TBI), including impacts on life, as well as decision-making processes about healthcare access and engagement. METHODS: Purposeful sampling was used to complete semi-structured interviews with 18 Indigenous women living in regional and remote Australia who had experienced TBI from family violence. The data from these interviews were augmented by data from interviews and focus groups with 28 community members, including family members or carers of Indigenous women living with TBI from family violence. RESULTS: Three themes were conceptualised based on the data and research aims: interweaving of the past and the present-ways women experience brain injury; factors that inform decision-making to access healthcare; and managing everyday changes that result from TBI from family violence. Indigenous women described living with a range of symptoms following repeated head injuries including problems with memory, cognition and concentration. A range of strategies to manage long-term symptoms of TBI were used by Indigenous women and when they did seek healthcare, Indigenous women were required to navigate a range of barriers. CONCLUSIONS: The findings identify a range of gaps in healthcare and housing supports for Indigenous women with TBI from violence, highlighting the significant investment needed to develop responsive and appropriate pathways of care in regional and remote areas. A range of suggestions are discussed including development of a specialised workforce who can provide apppropriate follow-up support, co-designed concussion clinics and educational resources. TBI must also be a key aspect of policy and practice for services working with Indigenous women who have experienced violence to ensure appropriate responses are provided. PUBLIC OR PATIENT CONTRIBUTION: Indigenous women shared their views and experiences of TBI from family violence as well as decision-making about accessing healthcare and managing TBI symptoms. As such, study participants provided public contributions to the research.
Subject(s)
Brain Injuries, Traumatic , Domestic Violence , Focus Groups , Qualitative Research , Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Australia , Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/psychology , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/ethnology , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/therapy , Decision Making , Domestic Violence/psychology , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Health Services Accessibility , Interviews as TopicABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To identify the issues raised by the unsuccessful Voice referendum and propose removal of barriers to reporting and prevention of family violence in remote communities as the most ambitious measure of success in hearing First Nations voices. CONCLUSIONS: The Voice referendum was partly justified to improve the mental health of First Nations Australians, despite concern the process and its outcome might worsen both. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders revealed the tensions that arise between individual and communal interests when marginalised groups fight for self-determination. While a unified First Nation Voice is likely to amplify prominent messengers, we should also be interested in hearing diverse, dissenting voices. As the most marginalised group within a marginalised community, the ability to hear the voices of women and children subject to family violence in rural/remote Australian communities may be the best measure of success in overcoming the barriers that was the motivation for the referendum.
Subject(s)
Mental Health , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander , Humans , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander/ethnology , Australia , Mental Health/ethnology , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Domestic Violence/psychology , Health Services, Indigenous/organization & administration , FemaleABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The current study reports intervention from the perspective of abused South Asian women in the United States (U.S.) aligning with the Center for Disease Control (CDC's) ecological model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In-depth telephonic interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 20 South Asian women in the U.S. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Utilizing the CDC's ecological model, the following themes emerged for prevention at the individual level: walk away the first-time abuse occurred; at the relationship level: pre-marital counseling and at the societal level: act on the red flags before the wedding, address the stringent gender roles, socialization, and blame. For protection, the following themes emerged at the individual level: self-determination and strength, protection of children, and financial independence. At the relationship level, the theme of marital counseling emerged and at the community level, the theme of community resources emerged. DISCUSSION: The South Asian natal family or family members in positions of power can recognize red flags, raise their voice, take constructive action to address misogyny, rigid patriarchal attitudes, and prevent abuse before it occurs. CONCLUSION: There is an urgent need to recognize and work at both preventative and protective levels to address the abuse among South Asian women in the U.S.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence , Humans , Female , United States , Adult , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Middle Aged , Asian/psychology , Interviews as Topic , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Domestic violence (DV) worsened during COVID-19 and Family Justice Centers (FJCs) were, even more so than before, a critical part of providing services to DV victims. This study characterizes the clinical and sociodemographic features of the clients that come to the Ventura County FJC (VCFJC) and examines the effect of COVID-19, thus informing awareness of services available to victims of DV. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study utilizing the VCFJC database from 2019 to 2021. All client data normally collected was studied. A comparison of pre-COVID and post-COVID data was also conducted. RESULTS: There were 3488 client entries. Clients were mostly female (79% [2755]; n = 3488), aged 25-40 (31.73% [1106]; n = 3448), white/Caucasian (44.42% [1531]; n = 3448) or Hispanic/Latinx (42.41% [1462]; n = 3448). Clients most often requested restraining orders (72.41% [2496]; n = 3448), and most commonly reported DV [physical] (47.90% [1651]; n = 3448). Most health-insured clients were covered by MediCal (45.06% [1231]; n = 2732). Pre- and post-COVID analysis showed the highest increases in DV [physical] (odds ratio = 1.26, P < .0007) and stalking/harassment (odds ratio = 2.45, P < .0007), and decreases in all Initial Service Request categories except one. DISCUSSION: In serving clients affected by DV, FJCs are an important service for health care providers to be aware of. Post-COVID, clients reported DV and stalking/harassment at much higher percentages, which is consistent with national studies on the pandemic. The most alarming finding was the steep decrease in Initial Service Requests.Conclusion: This study shows the importance of collaboration and awareness of services, especially in a world of COVID-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Domestic Violence , Government Agencies , Female , Humans , Male , California/epidemiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/ethnology , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Government Agencies/statistics & numerical data , Hispanic or Latino/statistics & numerical data , Local Government , Pandemics/statistics & numerical data , Retrospective Studies , White/statistics & numerical data , AdultSubject(s)
Domestic Violence/ethnology , Emigrants and Immigrants/statistics & numerical data , Marriage/ethnology , Women's Rights , Asian People/statistics & numerical data , Australia , Domestic Violence/prevention & control , Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Mandatory Reporting , Marriage/statistics & numerical data , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Importance: Domestic violence (DV) has become a growing public health concern during the COVID-19 pandemic because individuals may be sheltering in place with abusers and facing mounting economic and health-related stresses. Objective: To analyze associations of the 2020 COVID-19 stay-at-home (SH) order with DV police reporting and resource availability, including differences by community area racial/ethnic composition. Design, Setting, and Participants: This longitudinal cohort study assessed DV police reports (January-June 2020) obtained from the Chicago, Illinois, Police Department and DV resource availability (March and August 2020) obtained from the NowPow community resource database, both for 77 community areas in Chicago. Data were analyzed July through December 2020. Exposures: The COVID-19 SH order effective March 21, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: Monthly rates of DV police reports and DV resource availability per 100â¯000 persons. Results: Of 77 community areas in Chicago, 28 (36.4%) were majority Black, 19 (24.7%) majority Hispanic/Latinx, 18 (23.4%) majority White, and 12 (15.6%) a different or no majority race/ethnicity, representing an estimated population of 2â¯718â¯555 individuals. For each community area, the SH order was associated with a decrease in the rate of DV police reports by 21.8 (95% CI, -30.48 to -13.07) crimes per 100â¯000 persons per month relative to the same months in 2019. Compared with White majority community areas, Black majority areas had a decrease in the rate of DV police reports by 40.8 (95% CI, -62.93 to -18.75) crimes per 100â¯000 persons per month relative to the same months in 2019. The SH order was also associated with a decrease in DV resource availability at a rate of 5.1 (95% CI, -7.55 to -2.67) resources per 100â¯000 persons, with the largest decreases for mental health (-4.3 [95% CI, -5.97 to -2.66] resources per 100â¯000 persons) and personal safety (-2.4 [95% CI, -4.40 to -0.41] resources per 100â¯000 persons). The Black majority south side of Chicago had a larger decrease in resource availability (-6.7 [95% CI, -12.92 to -0.46] resources per 100â¯000 persons) than the White majority north side. Conclusions and Relevance: In this longitudinal cohort study, the rate of DV police reports decreased after the SH order was implemented in Chicago. This decrease was largely observed in Black majority communities, whereas there was no significant change in White majority communities. These findings may reflect decreased DV incidence but may also reflect an exacerbation of underreporting. In addition, DV resource availability decreased disproportionately on the predominantly Black south side of Chicago.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Police/statistics & numerical data , Adult , COVID-19/epidemiology , Chicago/epidemiology , Communicable Disease Control/legislation & jurisprudence , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Middle Aged , Pandemics , Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Domestic violence significantly affects physical and mental health, particularly among children, women, and the elderly. Living in certain family environments could lead to victimization by domestic violence, especially among families with a poor socioeconomic status, such as the Lahu hill tribe people in Thailand. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of and determine the factors associated with domestic violence among Lahu children, women, and the elderly. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted of participants who belonged to the Lahu hill tribe and lived in 20 selected villages in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. A validated questionnaire was used to collect personal information and information regarding experiences related to domestic violence in the past year from children (aged 5-15 years), women (aged 16-59 years), and the elderly (aged 60 years and over). A binary logistic regression was used to detect associations between the variables. RESULTS: A total of 646 participants were recruited into the study, specifically, 98 children aged 5-15 years, 430 women aged 16-59 years, and 118 elderly people. Children who smoked (AOR = 8.70; 95%CI = 1.27-59.45) had greater odds of experiencing domestic violence than children who did not smoke. Women who had a role as a family member (AOR = 1.59; 95%CI = 1.02-2.50), used alcohol (AOR = 3.36; 95%CI = 2.27-4.99), lived in a family with financial problems (AOR = 4.01; 95%CI = 2.52-7.66), and lived with a family member who uses alcohol (AOR = 2.87; 95%CI = 2.20-5.63) had greater odds of suffering domestic violence than women who did not share these characteristics. The elderly who used alcohol (AOR = 3.25, 95%CI = 1.08-9.81), lived with a family member who uses alcohol (AOR = 3.31; 95%CI = 1.26-7.34), or lived in a family with financial problems in the past year (AOR = 2.16; 95%CI = 1.16-8.77) had greater odds of facing domestic violence than the elderly who did not have these characteristics. CONCLUSION: Family financial problems and substance use are associated with domestic violence in Lahu families in Thailand. Health interventions to reduce the use of substances, including training programs to respond to domestic violence, should be promoted for Lahu children, women, and the elderly.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/ethnology , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Socioeconomic Factors , Thailand/epidemiology , Thailand/ethnologyABSTRACT
Indigenous peoples are more likely than non-Indigenous peoples to experience family violence (FV), with wide-reaching impacts on individuals, families, and communities. Despite this, service providers indicate that Indigenous peoples are less likely to seek support than non-Indigenous peoples. Little is known about the reasons for this, particularly from the perspective of Indigenous people themselves. In this scoping review, we explore the views Indigenous peoples have on help seeking for FV. Online databases, Google Scholar, and reference lists were searched for relevant studies. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied so that only original studies where the Indigenous voice was specifically sought were chosen. Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria including qualitative and mixed-methods research. Studies were conducted in the Americas, New Zealand, Australia, and India. Overall, findings suggest that Indigenous peoples are reluctant to engage in help-seeking behaviors for FV. Data were inductively organized into three main themes reflecting this reluctance: tendency to avoid help seeking (acknowledging the barriers of shame, tight-knit communities, and inappropriate service responses causing mistrust and fear), turning to informal support networks, and help is sought when crisis point is reached. We conclude that to overcome barriers for Indigenous peoples seeking help for FV, improving service providers response to FV through training and more research about what works is required; these activities need to be informed by both male and female Indigenous voices.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence , Help-Seeking Behavior , Indigenous Peoples , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Domestic Violence/prevention & control , Humans , Indigenous Peoples/psychologyABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created a situation of general distress. Although the focus has been initially more on the physical health during the pandemic, mental health concerns linked to the lockdown have quickly risen. This study aims to assess the effect of the COVID-19-related lockdown on Tunisian women's mental health and gender-based violence. An online survey was conducted, using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) and the Facebook Bergen Addiction Scale (FBAS). We chose a female-exclusive social group on Facebook and used the snowball sampling method. A total of 751 participants originating from all the Tunisian regions completed the questionnaire. More than half of the participants (57.3%) reported extremely severe distress symptoms, as per the DASS-21. Those who had a history of mental illness and who were allegedly abused during lockdown were found to have more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Around 40% of women reported problematic social media use. Violence against women also reportedly increased significantly during the lockdown (from 4.4 to 14.8%; p < 0.001). Psychological abuse was the most frequent type of violence (96%). Women who had experienced abuse before the lockdown were at an increased risk of violence during lockdown (p < 0.001; OR = 19.34 [8.71-43.00]). To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates the acute impact of COVID-19 on mental health and violence against women in Tunisia, Africa, and the Arab world. It may be a sound basis for developing a more effective psychological intervention aimed at women in these regions.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , COVID-19/psychology , Depression/psychology , Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Gender-Based Violence/statistics & numerical data , Intimate Partner Violence/statistics & numerical data , Mental Health/statistics & numerical data , Pandemics/prevention & control , Quarantine/psychology , Adult , Aged , Anxiety/ethnology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Depression/ethnology , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Domestic Violence/psychology , Female , Gender-Based Violence/ethnology , Gender-Based Violence/psychology , Health Surveys , Humans , Intimate Partner Violence/ethnology , Intimate Partner Violence/psychology , Mental Disorders/psychology , Middle Aged , Psychological Distress , SARS-CoV-2 , Spouse Abuse/ethnology , Spouse Abuse/psychology , Spouse Abuse/statistics & numerical data , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Tunisia/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition among women in Nepal persists as a major public health burden. Global literature suggests that domestic violence may have a negative impact on women's nutritional status. The contribution of intimate partner violence (IPV) to increased stress levels, poor self-care including the consumption of less food and, in turn, malnutrition has been documented. However, there is little empirical evidence on IPV and its relationship with women's nutritional status in Nepal and thus, this paper assesses these associations. METHODS: We used data on non-pregnant married women (n = 3293) from the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). The primary exposure variable was whether the women had ever experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence or controlling behaviours by a current or former partner, based on her responses to the NDHS domestic violence questions. The primary outcome variables were three indicators of malnutrition: under-weight (BMI < 18.5), over-weight (BMI > 25), and anemia (Hb < 11.0 g dL). We used logistic and multinomial regression models, adjusted for potential socio-demographic and economic confounders, as well as clustering, to examine associations between IPV exposure and malnutrition. RESULTS: Approximately 44% of women had experienced at least one of the four types of IPV. Among them, around 16, 25%. and 44% were underweight, overweight, or anemic, respectively, compared to 13, 29, and 35% of women never exposed to IPV. We did not find any associations between underweight and any of the four types of IPV. Overweight was associated with physical violence (adjusted RRR = 0.67, P < 0.01, CI = 0.50-0.88) and severe physical violence (adjusted RRR = 0.53, P < 0.05, CI = 0.32-0.88) Controlling behaviors were associated with anemia (adjusted RRR = 1.31, P < 0.01, CI = 1.11-1.54). CONCLUSIONS: Among married Nepalese women, physical violence appears to be a risk factor for one's weight and controlling behaviors for one's anemia status. Additional, rigorous, mixed-methods research is needed to understand the reporting of IPV and what relationships do or do not exist between IPV experience and nutrition both in Nepal and in other settings.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Intimate Partner Violence/ethnology , Nutritional Status/ethnology , Sexual Partners/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Female , Humans , Intimate Partner Violence/psychology , Intimate Partner Violence/statistics & numerical data , Male , Middle Aged , Nepal/epidemiology , Risk Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
The subject of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a culture-neutral domestic abuse program (DAP) developed for offenders with domestic and family violence histories, when used for Australian Indigenous offenders, serving community-based supervised orders. The study employed a retrospective quasi-experimental research design and intention-to-treat program definition for 953 DAP-treated men and propensity score-matched controls, from diverse cultural, religious, and racial backgrounds, 19% being Indigenous Australians. Outcomes measured were program completion, time to first reconviction, and reconviction rates. Indigenous men completed the program similar to non-Indigenous men (58% vs. 63%; NS), although significantly more dropped out (22% vs. 18%); 63% of Indigenous DAP-treated men, remained reconviction free versus 49% of Indigenous controls. Significant therapeutic benefits required program completion, 73% Indigenous and 74% of non-Indigenous men remained reconviction free. Indigenous DAP participants, relative to controls, took significantly longer to first reconviction. Survival was associated with prior criminal histories, but not with rural or remote domiciles. Reconviction rates were predicted by Level of Service Inventory-Revised actuarial risk scores and by DAP completion, but not by Indigenous status. Program effect size was d = .477, mean reconvictions for Indigenous DAP enrollees being 50% lower than controls. Generic domestic violence interventions utilising evidence-based theoretical principles can be effective for Indigenous offenders, despite an absence of specific Indigenous cultural, or healing content, and delivery by Indigenous facilitators or Elders.
Subject(s)
Criminals/psychology , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander/psychology , Aged , Australia , Humans , Intention to Treat Analysis , Male , Program Evaluation , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
The authors describe the experiences of abuse drawn from in-depth interviews conducted with 20 South Asian women in the United States and a sample of 21 abused women in Mumbai, India. We describe five major themes that identify the nature of domestic violence experienced in these two contexts, barriers to help-seeking and exiting abuse, and the process of ending the abusive relationship. The research sheds light on the similarities and differences in the two contexts. We outlined the similarities in the following themes (a) type of abuse, (b) treatment of children (c) abandonment. We found differences in the following themes (d) joint meeting, (e) back and forth between natal and marital home.
Subject(s)
Asian People/psychology , Crime Victims/psychology , Domestic Violence/psychology , Spouse Abuse/psychology , Adult , Aged , Asia, Western/ethnology , Asian People/ethnology , Crime Victims/statistics & numerical data , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Female , Help-Seeking Behavior , Humans , Indian Ocean Islands/ethnology , Interviews as Topic , Male , Middle Aged , Qualitative Research , Spouse Abuse/ethnology , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: How soon an ever-married woman falls a victim of domestic violence after marriage is not documented in Africa. This study sought to assess the timing of first domestic violence (FDV) against women after marriage and determined the factors associated with the timings in Nigeria, Kenya, and Mozambique. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. METHODS: Data of 29,793 ever-married women of reproductive age consisting of 21,564, 4237 and 3992 from Demographic and Health Survey conducted in Nigeria (2013), Kenya (2014) and Mozambique (2011), respectively, were used. The timing of FDV was the time interval between marriage date and date of the FDV for those with reported violence but censored as the time interval between marriage date and the survey date for those without domestic violence. Survival analysis techniques were used to assess the timing and the factors influencing the timing at (P = 0.05). RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of domestic violence among the ever-married women in Nigeria, Kenya and Mozambique was 15.4%, 39.0% and 31.0%, respectively. The overall median time to FDV was 3 years. The risk of FDV was twice higher in Kenya (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.934; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.729-2.132) and 15% higher in Mozambique (aHR = 1.156; 95% CI: 1.156-1.223) than in Nigeria. The hazard of domestic violence was significantly higher among separated/divorced women across the three countries (aHR = 1.326; 95% CI: 1.237-1.801). Other factors associated with the timing of FDV against women were respondents' education, age at first marriage, region and location of residence, religion, ethnicity, employment status, wealth quintile, spouse consuming alcohol and husbands' educational attainment. CONCLUSIONS: Domestic violence against married women by their intimate partners is prevalent across Mozambique, Nigeria and Kenya, with earlier occurrences in Kenya and Mozambique. Age at first marriage, education factors, religion, ethnicity and region of residence in each country affected the timing of the first incidence of domestic violence.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Intimate Partner Violence/statistics & numerical data , Marriage/ethnology , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Divorce , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Female , Humans , Incidence , Intimate Partner Violence/ethnology , Kenya/epidemiology , Marriage/statistics & numerical data , Middle Aged , Mozambique/epidemiology , Nigeria/epidemiology , Prevalence , Sexual Behavior , Socioeconomic Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
ISSUE ADDRESSED: Family violence presents a significant threat to the physical and psychological health of individuals and communities, with women from culturally diverse groups experiencing an increased risk of exposure to family violence and barriers to accessing support. It is necessary to examine the knowledge of family violence among these communities and their preferred source of knowledge to facilitate successful family violence prevention strategies. METHODS: Thirty-one women (19 Indian and 12 Burmese) completed surveys on their knowledge of family violence, while 10 representatives from community organisations completed surveys on their readiness to participate in family violence prevention efforts. This was followed by 54 community organisations disseminating information about family violence through a poster. RESULTS: Findings showed that the level of knowledge among culturally diverse communities is variable, with Indian women showing a greater understanding of a range of aspects of family violence compared to Burmese women. Findings also indicated a high degree of preparedness within organisations serving these communities to address family violence. CONCLUSION: The findings from the present study elucidate the state of family violence-related knowledge amongst the Indian and Burmese communities in a large municipality in Melbourne, Australia, and provide insight into community readiness to diffuse family violence-related information. This increased understanding could be used to enhance family violence prevention efforts in culturally diverse communities. SO WHAT?: This study provides justification for the need for educational family violence prevention efforts within the Burmese and Indian communities. It also informs us of the importance of engaging with community organisations to implement family violence prevention strategies.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence/ethnology , Health Communication/methods , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice/ethnology , Health Promotion/organization & administration , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Australia/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Emigrants and Immigrants , Female , Humans , India/ethnology , Middle Aged , Myanmar/ethnology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Introduction: Domestic violence and abuse has been recognised as an international public health problem. However, the pervasiveness of the problem is unknown due in part to underreporting, especially among women from ethnic minority populations. In relation to this group, this review seeks to explore: (1) the barriers to disclosure; (2) the facilitators of help-seeking; and (3) self-perceived impacts of domestic violence. Design: We systematically identified published qualitative studies conducted among women from ethnic minority populations in the UK. Data analysis was completed using thematic analysis approach. Result: 562 papers were identified and eight papers from four studies conducted among women from ethnic minority populations in the UK met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Barriers to disclosure include: Immigration status, community influences, problems with language and interpretation, and unsupportive attitudes of staff within mainstream services. Facilitators of help-seeking were: escalation of abuse and safety of children. Self-perceived impact of abuse includes: shame, denial, loss of identity and lack of choice. Conclusion: There is an on-going need for staff from domestic violence services to be aware of the complexities within which women from ethnic minority populations experience domestic violence and abuse.
Subject(s)
Disclosure , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Ethnicity/statistics & numerical data , Minority Groups/statistics & numerical data , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/ethnology , Black People , Emigrants and Immigrants/psychology , Female , Humans , Qualitative Research , Social Environment , United Kingdom/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a methodological approach where community-academic teams build equitable relationships throughout the research process. In the domestic violence (DV) field, CBPR may be particularly important when conducting research with racial and ethnic minority DV survivors, as this group faces concurrent oppressions that inform their lived experiences. To our knowledge, no systematic review has synthesized articles using a CBPR approach to explore the needs and lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority DV survivors. Using PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review of the literature, retrieving articles that used a CBPR approach to understand the needs and/or lived experiences of female racial and ethnic minority DV survivors residing in the United States. Articles were identified from peer-reviewed databases, bibliographies, and experts. Thirteen of the 185 articles assessed for eligibility were included. Articles focused on a variety of racial and ethnic minority groups, the majority identifying as African American or Latina. Collaboration occurred in multiple ways, primarily through equitable decision-making and building team members' strengths. Several needs and lived experiences emerged including gender identity and patriarchal attitudes, racism and discrimination, the immigrant experience informing DV, poverty, shame and stigma, and the need for social support. This is the first systematic review of articles using a CBPR approach to explore the needs and lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority survivors. Implications include promoting community-based dissemination, conducting quantitative studies with larger sample sizes of DV survivors, and encouraging culturally specific services that address DV survivors' intersectional needs.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence/ethnology , Survivors/psychology , Community-Based Participatory Research/methods , Crime Victims/psychology , Emigrants and Immigrants/psychology , Ethnicity/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , United StatesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) encompasses physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, as well as controlling behavior. Most research focuses on physical and sexual abuse, and other aspects of IPV are rarely investigated. We estimated the effect of these neglected aspects of IPV on women's mental distress. METHODS: We used data from 3010 women living in rural tribal communities in Rajasthan, India. Women completed baseline interviews and were re-interviewed approximately 1.5 years later. We measured IPV with questions adopted from the Demographic and Health Survey's Domestic Violence Module, which asked seven questions about physical abuse, three questions about psychological abuse, and five questions about partner controlling behavior. Mental distress was measured with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (score range 0-12). We used Poisson regression models to estimate the relation between changes in IPV and mental distress, accounting for time-fixed characteristics of individuals using individual fixed effects. RESULTS: Women reported an average of 2.1 distress symptoms during baseline interviews. In models that controlled for time-varying confounding (e.g., wealth, other types of abuse), experiencing psychological abuse was associated with an increase of 0.65 distress symptoms (95% CI 0.32, 0.98), and experiencing controlling behavior was associated with an increase of 0.31 distress symptoms (95% CI 0.18, 0.44). However, experiencing physical abuse was not associated with an increase in distress symptoms (mean difference = - 0.15, 95% CI - 0.45, 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Psychological abuse and controlling behavior may be important drivers of the relation between IPV and women's mental health.
Subject(s)
Domestic Violence/psychology , Intimate Partner Violence/psychology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Female , Health Surveys , Humans , India/epidemiology , Intimate Partner Violence/ethnology , Middle Aged , Physical Abuse/psychology , Poisson Distribution , Prevalence , Prospective Studies , Rural Population , Sexual Partners/psychology , Stress, Psychological/epidemiology , Stress, Psychological/ethnology , White People/psychology , White People/statistics & numerical data , Young AdultABSTRACT
Despite high rates of domestic violence and increased rates of honor killing (HK) over the past decade, there is a paucity of empirical data about how HK affects family members. This study used grounded theory to explore the emotional and social effects of HK on 23 family members of murdered women and found that HK failed to achieve the restoration of honor. Following HK, families subsequently entered a protracted process of grief compounded by negative social interactions, which led to a form of "social death." The road to social death was a painful and continuous social process, which, for many, never abated.
Subject(s)
Arabs/psychology , Family/psychology , Homicide/ethnology , Homicide/psychology , Social Behavior , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Domestic Violence/ethnology , Domestic Violence/psychology , Emotions , Female , Grounded Theory , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Social Values/ethnology , Young AdultABSTRACT
This article tracks the entanglement of cancer and patterns of conjugality in Delhi. Building on fieldwork with about 120 households in Delhi, it describes how the disease put pressure on already fraught marital biographies, revealing durable fissures in household relations. Often, these shifts in the distribution of conjugal vulnerability opened cracks that allowed long histories of domestic violence to seep through. In subtle ways, women could accrue a delicate agency through their practices of care. But at the same time, they continued to inhabit the vulnerable space of affinal homes. This article describes how in these arrangements, care and violence followed each other closely in their tracks. Building on these insights, the article deepens and shifts how anthropologists have understood the social life of the cancer. Specifically, anthropologists writing about the disease have demonstrated the ubiquity of a biotechnical imaginary of hope and survivorship in the Global North. This article develops an anthropology of cancer from the Global South that takes seriously the work of palliation and reconciliation, in the process provincializing Global North imaginaries of hope and survivorship.