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Why abused women do not seek professional help: a qualitative study
Gert-Jan Prosman1, Sylvie H Lo Fo Wong, Antoine L M Lagro-Janssen
1Department of Primary and Community Care Unit Gender & Women's Health, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
|January 29, 2013
Summary
Abused women need informal support to seek professional help due to unawareness of abuse impact and fear. Family physicians (FPs) must be trained to offer better informal support and consider children's well-being.
Area of Science:
- Family Medicine
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) significantly impacts women's and children's well-being.
- Barriers to seeking help include lack of awareness, negative professional experiences, and partner fear.
- Current healthcare services often fail to meet the needs of abused women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the help-seeking process of abused women consulting their family physician (FP).
- To understand the role of informal support in accessing professional help.
- To identify improvements for healthcare provision for victims of abuse.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews.
- Sample of 14 women identified as abused via Composite Abuse Scale (CAS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
- Setting: Family practice in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Main Results:
- Women's unawareness of abuse consequences and fear of partners hinder help-seeking.
- Informal support from family and friends is crucial for accessing professional assistance.
- Healthcare needs differ: practical support during abuse, psychological support afterward.
- Insufficient attention paid to the impact of witnessing violence on children.
Conclusions:
- Lack of awareness regarding IPV consequences prevents women from seeking professional support.
- Informal support is vital for women experiencing abuse.
- Family physicians require training to enhance informal support and address children's well-being in abusive situations.
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