Facilitators of Formal Help-Seeking for Adult Survivors of IPV in the United States: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802199595
Author(s):  
Kristen E. Ravi ◽  
Sarah R. Robinson ◽  
Rachel Voth Schrag
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Adult Survivors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Formal Services

A survivor’s decision to engage with formal services for experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) is influenced by factors at the individual, interpersonal, and sociocultural levels. Understanding factors that facilitate survivors’ choice to seek services could be beneficial to formal service providers including community agencies, health professionals, and the criminal justice system, providing guidance toward the development and implementation of accessible services for survivors of IPV. This systematic review of the literature aims to identify key factors that facilitate survivors’ formal help-seeking. Ten electronic databases were searched for key terms related to help-seeking from formal services and facilitators of formal help-seeking. Articles were included in the review if the studies were conducted in the United States, focused on adults with experiences of IPV, and discussed facilitators of formal help-seeking. A total of 1,155 studies were initially identified, and after screening, 24 were included in the review. Seven factors were identified including provider knowledge, support, accessibility, desire to provide protection and to prevent future violence, and other factors such as knoweldge of and desire for services, policy factors, and personal factors. Findings demonstrate a need for more research on the facilitators of help-seeking among East Asian, South Asian, and Middle Eastern survivors living in the United States, as well as male-identified, trans, and gender nonconforming survivors. The review also indicates a need for culturally sensitive and accessible services that support survivors and the importance of raising awareness of the services and resources available for survivors.

A Systematic Review of Barriers to Formal Help Seeking for Adult Survivors of IPV in the United States, 2005–2019

2020 ◽  
pp. 152483802091625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah R. Robinson ◽  
Kristen Ravi ◽  
Rachel J. Voth Schrag
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Adult Survivors ◽  
The United States ◽  
System Failures ◽  
Continued Education ◽  
Formal Services ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Key Terms

For individuals experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), formal services, including community agencies, health services, or the criminal justice system, are critical resources. Understanding the specific barriers that hinder or prevent survivors from seeking help from formal services could reveal important implications for the development of services for IPV as well as for members of other organizations who encounter survivors. The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify barriers to help-seeking from formal services for survivors. Ten electronic databases were searched for key terms related to IPV, help seeking from formal services, and barriers to help seeking. Articles were included in the review if they were U.S.-based, contained samples that were adults who had experienced IPV, and discussed barriers to seeking help from formal services. An initial search yielded 1,155 articles and after screening, 29 articles were included in the review. Data were extracted to reveal the state of the literature regarding help-seeking barriers for survivors. Six barriers to help seeking were identified as follows: (1) lack of awareness, (2) access challenges, (3) consequences of disclosure, (4) lack of material resources, (5) personal barriers, and (6) system failures. These findings demonstrate the need for continued education surrounding available services for IPV as well as the continued development of resources that can mitigate personal barriers that survivors may face. Furthermore, these findings illuminate the necessity to increase the access of services, particularly for non-English speakers, immigrants and refugees, individuals with disabilities, men, and LGBTQIA identified individuals.

A Systematic Review of Intimate Partner Violence Interventions Impacting South Asian Women in the United States

2020 ◽  
pp. 152483802095798
Author(s):  
Saumya Tripathi ◽  
Sameena Azhar
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Asian Women ◽  
South Asian Women

This systematic review is the first published attempt to synthesize literature pertaining to intimate partner violence (IPV) interventions impacting South Asian women in the United States. Applying the conceptual framework of intersectionality, the goals of this review are to (1) understand current trends, intervention modalities, and areas of focus within IPV interventions targeting South Asian communities in the United States and (2) to identify gaps in the address of IPV among these communities. Using the Cochrane Handbook and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we searched 35 databases and identified 12 research studies. Our study included a collective sample of 318 South Asian IPV survivors and 25 organizations. Findings underscore that there are minimal IPV interventions available to South Asian women living in the United States. Most interventions have not been systematically evaluated, making their efficacy questionable. Those that reported outcome evaluation, namely recurrence of IPV, demonstrated limited efficacy. IPV research on South Asian women often dismisses financial concerns in light of cultural dimensions impacting IPV. Given that financial dependence is a major driver of violence against South Asian women, scholars must question the efficacy of available interventions that cannot foster the social and economic security of IPV survivors. Without sufficient attention to the intersecting social, cultural, and economic challenges that South Asian women face in abusive relationships, the efficacy of IPV interventions will remain limited.

Best Practices in Policing

2020 ◽  
pp. 224-257
Author(s):  
Kae Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Transgender People ◽  
Competency Training ◽  
Police Interactions

Intimate partner violence is one of the most underreported crimes in the United States. The sensitive nature of proper police response and protocol is further complicated by the need to adequately serve transgender populations criminally victimized by intimate partners. Due to the complicated history between the police and transgender communities, many transgender people hesitate to involve the police in their affairs. While police are often the first responders to IPV incidents and can serve as both help-seeking resources and safety enforcers, best practices in police interactions with transgender survivors of IPV are rarely discussed in the literature or applied in the field. Researchers generally identify issues with transphobia in law enforcement, misgendering, improper call screening, non-tailored response, and other LGBTQ competency training issues. This chapter will highlight some of the unique challenges for law enforcement in responding to transgender IPV, with an eye toward ultimately improving responses to transgender survivors.

scholarly journals Consequences of Exposure to Domestic Violence for Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (55) ◽  
pp. 263-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lelio Moura Lourenco ◽  
Makilim Nunes Baptista ◽  
Luciana Xavier Senra ◽  
Almeida Adriana A. ◽  
Caroline Basilio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Child Exposure ◽  
Exposure To Domestic Violence

The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review of the literature on the consequences of exposure to domestic violence – DV for children. The period 2005-2011 was searched in Medline, Lilacs, Scielo, Web of Science, Dialnet, Redalyc, Google Scholar and PsycInfo, using the following descriptors: intimate partner violence , domestic violence , violence descriptors ( physical , sexual, psychological ), and child , exposure or witness . The author, country, methodology, journal and the consequences of exposure to DV were considered. 122 articles were selected. The United States and Brazil accounted for 78.7% of the publications, with children being the main victims (51.6%). The major impacts upon children´s health were posttraumatic stress and insecurity (75.8%).

scholarly journals Gender Differences in Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Help-Seeking, And Outcomes Among College Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-44
Author(s):  
Hyunkag Cho ◽  
Jisuk Seon ◽  
Ga-Young Choi ◽  
Soonok An ◽  
Ilan Kwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Female Survivors

Many college students experience intimate partner violence (IPV). Although receiving help from formal and informal sources may ameliorate possible negative impacts of IPV victimization, the outcomes of help-seeking are not always positive. This study used survey data collected at six universities across the United States (U.S.) to examine gender differences in IPV, help-seeking, and its outcomes (n=3,070). Major variables included IPV victimization, IPV consequences, help-seeking, and outcomes. Descriptive and bivariate analyses revealed higher rates of victimization among females as well as poorer health status, higher levels of depression, and more daily routine problems. Females also used more formal help, and reported it as being useful more often than males. Inversely, more males than females reported that informal supports were helpful. Recommendations include social workers providing tailored services both for male and female survivors, service providers developing educational programs that target informal help sources, and social work education providing relevant trainings.

Help-Seeking and Barriers to Care in Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802199830
Author(s):  
Elizabeth N. Wright ◽  
Jocelyn Anderson ◽  
Kathleen Phillips ◽  
Sheridan Miyamoto
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Barriers To Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Complex Nature

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a prevalent phenomenon, yet an under-researched topic. Due to the complex nature of balancing love and fear, individuals who experience IPSV have unique needs and face unique barriers to seeking care. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the literature on help-seeking and barriers to care in IPSV. Articles were identified through PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Search terms included terms related to IPSV, intimate partner violence (IPV), domestic violence, sexual assault, and rape. The review was limited to the United States, and articles that were included needed to specifically measure or identify sexual violence in an intimate relationship and analyze or discuss IPSV in relation to help-seeking behaviors or barriers to care. Of the 17 articles included in this review, 13 were quantitative studies and four were qualitative studies. Various definitions and measurements of IPSV across studies included in this review make drawing broad conclusions challenging. Findings suggest that experiencing IPSV compared to experiencing nonsexual IPV (i.e., physical or psychological IPV) may increase help-seeking for medical, legal, and social services while decreasing help-seeking for informal support. Help-seeking can also reduce risk of future IPSV and decrease poor mental health outcomes. Barriers to seeking care in IPSV included social stigma, fear, and difficulty for individuals in identifying IPSV behaviors in their relationships as abuse. More inclusive research is needed among different populations including men, non-White individuals, nonheterosexual, and transgender individuals. Suggestions for research, practice, and policies are discussed.

Experiences With Help Seeking Among Non–Service-Engaged Survivors of IPV: Survivors’ Recommendations for Service Providers

2020 ◽  
pp. 107780122096386
Author(s):  
Rachel J. Voth Schrag ◽  
Kristen Ravi ◽  
Sarah Robinson ◽  
Elyssa Schroeder ◽  
Diana Padilla-Medina
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Formal Services ◽  
Future Risk ◽  
Informal Help

Engaging with formal intimate partner violence (IPV) services can buffer the impacts of violence and reduce future risk. Many survivors do not access or engage with such services. However, much of our knowledge related to the experiences and perspectives of IPV survivors comes from samples drawn from those seeking formal services. Qualitative interviews with 23 survivors of violence who are not currently engaged with formal IPV services were conducted, focused on the process and outcomes of choosing to seek help. Themes emerged within the categories of formal help-seeking experiences, informal help seeking, and recommendations for providers.

“Where Is the Women’s Center Here?”: The Role of Information in Refugee Women’s Help Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence in a Resettlement Context

2020 ◽  
pp. 107780122097136
Author(s):  
Karin Wachter ◽  
Laurie Cook Heffron ◽  
Jessica Dalpe ◽  
Alison Spitz
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Women's Center

A qualitative study examined factors that hinder help seeking for intimate partner violence among women who resettled to the United States as refugees. A refugee resettlement agency recruited female clients ( n = 35) and service providers and stakeholders ( n = 53) in the metropolitan area. The study employed individual interviews and focus group discussions to collect data. An inductive and interpretive thematic approach guided the analytical process. The analysis revealed challenges related to information gaps and communication struggles complicating help-seeking processes. The findings point to the importance of bolstering information sharing within and across informal and formal networks to help women navigate support and services in resettlement.

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