Help-seeking behaviour of Serbian women who experienced intimate partner violence
TL;DR: From the abused women's perspective, health care services are the institutions with the highest potential to help women in cases of IPV and developing a comprehensive health sector response is of critical importance to ensure appropriate care and referral.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify whom women in Serbia approach for help in case of intimate partner violence (IPV), their reasons for seeking help and their satisfaction with the received help. METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based household survey of a random sample of women aged 15-49 years was conducted in Belgrade (WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence against Women). A standard questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers through face-to-face interviews. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 1456 women and 1196 of them ever had an intimate partner. Almost one in four ever-partnered women reported experiencing either physical and/or sexual violence, at least once in their life. Among these abused women, approximately 22% had ever sought help from formal institutions. Police and health services were most commonly approached (12% and 10% of abused women, respectively). Satisfaction with services was highest for health services and legal advice and lowest for police and social services. Women sought help especially when violence had a severe impact on them or when they saw that their children suffered. Women who did not seek help stated that they believed that the violence was bearable or had ended. Other reasons for not seeking help were fear of undesirable consequences of seeking help and lack of trust in institutions. CONCLUSIONS: From the abused women's perspective, health care services are the institutions with the highest potential to help women in cases of IPV. Developing a comprehensive health sector response is of critical importance to ensure appropriate care and referral.
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TL;DR: Despite widespread physical abuse, many survivors never sought help andWide acceptance of violence hampering help seeking needs to be challenged and increasing disclosure would also enhance help seeking.
Abstract: Despite high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its adverse social and health consequences, the rate of help seeking for IPV is generally low. Although the level of IPV is much higher in urban slums of Bangladesh, the level and nature of help seeking of the victims are unknown. This paper aims to address this gap in the literature. Using a cross-sectional survey conducted between August 2011-February 2012, we explored disclosure of violence, help seeking behavior, and their correlates among randomly selected currently married women aged 15–29 in Dhaka slums (n = 2604). About 60 % of the currently married women reported past year spousal physical violence, but only 21 % disclosed and 19 % sought any help. High acceptance of violence was the main reason for not seeking help. Help was most commonly sought from informal sources (89 %). Any education, frequent and severe physical abuse, and presence of children increased the likelihood of disclosure and help seeking. Most survivors from slum who disclosed also sought help. Despite widespread physical abuse, many survivors never sought help. Wide acceptance of violence hampering help seeking needs to be challenged. Increasing disclosure would also enhance help seeking. Awareness rising regarding rights of women to live a violence free life is essential. Although many services are available in the urban area, information about these services needs to be available to women. Promoting education is important in increasing both disclosure and service uptake.
55 citations
TL;DR: Very few Indian women who experience spousal violence seek help, and the characteristics of the violence are the strongest predictors of help-seeking, but sociodemographic factors are also influential.
Abstract: Spousal violence against women is prevalent in India (29%). Studies from various countries have shown that few women exposed to intimate partner violence or spousal violence seek help, especially in low-income countries. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and predictors of help-seeking among women in India who have experienced various types of spousal violence. Cross-sectional data on 19,125 married, separated, divorced or widowed women in India who had experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of their husbands were obtained from the India National Family Health Survey III 2005–2006. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out. Less than one fourth (23.7%) of married, separated, divorced or widowed women in India who had experienced some form of physical or sexual spousal violence had sought help, but only 1% had sought help from formal institutions. Help-seeking was most prevalent in women who had been exposed to a combination of physical, sexual and emotional abuse (48.8%) and the least prevalent in women who had experienced sexual violence only (1.5%). Experience of severe violence and violence resulting in injury were the strongest predictors of help-seeking. Having education, being Christian or an acknowledged adherent of another minority religion - mainly Buddhism and Sikhism (Islam not included), getting married after the age of 21 and living in the South region were also associated with seeking help. Women in the North and Northeast regions were less likely to seek help, as were women with children and women who thought that a husband could be justified in hitting his wife. Very few Indian women who experience spousal violence seek help. The characteristics of the violence are the strongest predictors of help-seeking, but sociodemographic factors are also influential. We recommend efforts to ensure educational attainment for girls, prevention of child marriages, and that police officers and health care staff should be educated about intimate partner violence and in how to respond to women who seek help. It is important to tackle norms and attitudes surrounding violence against women, as well as attitudes to women who disclose violence.
52 citations
Cites background from "Help-seeking behaviour of Serbian w..."
...Research from different contexts have found that factors that are strongly associated with a higher probability of seeking help for physical IPV include experience of repeated violence [29, 30] or severe violence [12, 17, 29, 30]....
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...Djikanović B, Wong SLF, Jansen HAFM, Koso S, Simić S, Otasević S, LagroJanssen A. Help-seeking behaviour of Serbian women who experienced intimate partner violence....
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...Other studies have reported similar findings [12, 14, 17, 29, 31]....
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...Thinking that the violence is not so serious or even normal, self-blame, fear of being blamed and hoping that their partner will change are some of the reasons why Serbian women do not seek help [17]....
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...The proportion of women who seek help from formal institutions is usually lower, 22% in Serbia [17], less than 6% in Jordan [13] and only 2% and 1% respectively in Bangladesh [12] and India [14, 15]....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the literature aimed to identify help-seeking facilitating and inhibiting factors in response to intimate partner violence (IPV) was carried out on the PsycINFO and Medline databases using the following keywords: “intimate partner violence,” “domestic violence, and helpseeking.
Abstract: . Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global social concern: many women are affected by this phenomenon and by the difficulty of putting an end to it. This review of the literature aims to identify help-seeking facilitating and inhibiting factors in response to IPV. It was carried out on the PsycINFO and Medline databases using the following keywords: “intimate partner violence,” “domestic violence,” “help-seeking,” and “help-seeking barrier.” Ninety out of 771 eligible publications were included on the basis of inclusion criteria. The results highlight that (1) research on this phenomenon is very recent and underdeveloped in Europe, (2) theoretical and conceptual frameworks are poorly developed and extended, (3) there is a significant impact of violence characteristics (e.g., severity, type) on help-seeking, and (4) help-seeking is a complex and multifactorial process influenced by a wide range of factors simultaneously individual and social. To conclude, these findings lead us to propose a psyc...
49 citations
TL;DR: It is revealed that abused women need informal support by family and friends to ask for professional support, and FPs should be trained to pay more attention to informal support and be alert to children's well-being.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: We aimed to gain insight into the process of help seeking of abused women visiting their family physician (FP). SETTING: Family practice in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. METHOD: We used a qualitative method with interviews in a sample of 14 abused women, identified in an earlier cross-sectional survey with the Composite Abuse Scale (CAS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). This qualitative method with semi-structured interviews was used to obtain information on the process of seeking help. RESULTS: Unawareness of the impact of abuse on themselves and their children, unfamiliarity and negative experiences with professionals and fear for their partner hampers abused women to seek professional help. Our study reveals that abused women need informal support by family and friends to ask for professional support. Current health care does not fit into the needs of abused women during the abuse they want more practical support, after the abuse they need also psychological help. In our study, FPs and mothers pay less attention to the impact of witnessing violence on children. CONCLUSION: When women are unaware of the negative consequences of IPV, the physical and mental well-being of themselves and their children they do not ask for professional support. Abused women view informal support is important in the changing process. FPs should be trained to pay more attention to informal support and be alert to children's well-being.
44 citations
TL;DR: Type and severity of violence were significant predictors of the help-seeking behaviors of Nigerian women and women who experienced severe forms of physical and emotional violence were more likely to seek help from formal and informal support services, than not seeking help.
Abstract: Using data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (N = 6,013) and applying multinomial logit models, we examined whether type and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) influence victims’ help-seeking behaviors. Results showed that about 65% of women did not seek help after experiencing IPV. However, most women who sought help did so from informal sources only (31.3%), compared with formal sources (1.9%). Type and severity of violence were significant predictors of the help-seeking behaviors of Nigerian women. Women who experienced severe forms of physical and emotional violence were more likely to seek help from formal and informal support services, than not seeking help. Sexual violence was not a significant predictor of women’s help-seeking behaviors. It is important to educate women on the relevance of seeking help, especially from formal support services after experiencing IPV.
26 citations
Cites background from "Help-seeking behaviour of Serbian w..."
...A related study in Serbia had found that it was until women assessed their situation as unbearable with implications for their children that they considered seeking help from formal support services (Djikanović et al., 2012)....
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References
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TL;DR: The findings confirm that physical and sexual partner violence against women is widespread and the variation in prevalence within and between settings highlights that this violence in not inevitable, and must be addressed.
2,712 citations
Book•
22 Jul 2005
TL;DR: This report of the WHO Multi-country Study on Womens Health and Domestic Violence against Women analyses data collected from over 24 000 women in 10 countries representing diverse cultural geographical and urban/rural settings.
Abstract: This report of the WHO Multi-country Study on Womens Health and Domestic Violence against Women analyses data collected from over 24 000 women in 10 countries representing diverse cultural geographical and urban/rural settings: Bangladesh Brazil Ethiopia Japan Peru Namibia Samoa Serbia and Montenegro Thailand and the United Republic of Tanzania. The Study was designed to: estimate the prevalence of physical sexual and emotional violence against women with particular emphasis on violence by intimate partners; assess the association of partner violence with a range of health outcomes; identify factors that may either protect or put women at risk of partner violence; document the strategies and services that women use to cope with violence by an intimate partner. (excerpt)
2,229 citations
01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: The suboptimal compliance to vaccinations continues to be a major public health problem and the number of children receiving vaccinations is on the rise.
Abstract: Background: The suboptimal compliance to vaccinations continues to be a major public health problem.
936 citations
Book•
01 Jan 2001
TL;DR: This document is not a formal publication of the World Health Organization, but may be freely reviewed, abstracted, reproduced or translated, in part or in whole, but not for sale or for use in conjunction with commercial purposes.
Abstract: This document is not a formal publication of the World Health Organization (WHO), and all rights are reserved by the Organization. The document may, however, be freely reviewed, abstracted, reproduced or translated, in part or in whole, but not for sale or for use in conjunction with commercial purposes. 3 The views expressed in documents by named authors are solely the responsibility of those authors.
765 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a randomized controlled trial was conducted in Ontario, Canada, among 6743 English-speaking female patients aged 18 to 64 years who presented between July 2005 and December 2006, could be seen individually, and were well enough to participate.
Abstract: Context Whether intimate partner violence (IPV) screening reduces violence or improves health outcomes for women is unknown. Objective To determine the effectiveness of IPV screening and communication of positive results to clinicians. Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized controlled trial conducted in 11 emergency departments, 12 family practices, and 3 obstetrics/gynecology clinics in Ontario, Canada, among 6743 English-speaking female patients aged 18 to 64 years who presented between July 2005 and December 2006, could be seen individually, and were well enough to participate. Intervention Women in the screened group (n=3271) self-completed the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST); if a woman screened positive, this information was given to her clinician before the health care visit. Subsequent discussions and/or referrals were at the discretion of the treating clinician. The nonscreened group (n=3472) self-completed the WAST and other measures after their visit. Main Outcome Measures Women disclosing past-year IPV were interviewed at baseline and every 6 months until 18 months regarding IPV reexposure and quality of life (primary outcomes), as well as several health outcomes and potential harms of screening. Results Participant loss to follow-up was high: 43% (148/347) of screened women and 41% (148/360) of nonscreened women. At 18 months (n = 411), observed recurrence of IPV among screened vs nonscreened women was 46% vs 53% (modeled odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-2.12). Screened vs nonscreened women exhibited about a 0.2-SD greater improvement in quality-of-life scores (modeled score difference at 18 months, 3.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-7.00). When multiple imputation was used to account for sample loss, differences between groups were reduced and quality-of-life differences were no longer significant. Screened women reported no harms of screening. Conclusions Although sample attrition urges cautious interpretation, the results of this trial do not provide sufficient evidence to support IPV screening in health care settings. Evaluation of services for women after identification of IPV remains a priority. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00182468
419 citations