Nowhere to go: disclosure and help-seeking behaviors for survivors of violence against women and girls in South Sudan

The study investigated the role of cultural impact on South Sudanese and Rwandan women who nowadays reside in the diaspora in Finland and Belgium. It explores the cultural violence against women before and after the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis, and after the independency of South Sudan. This argument is presented through an analysis of existing literature and documents; and through interviews with 341 respondents (166 men and 175 women) belonging to the Rwandan diaspora in Belgium and in Finland; and 420 participants (302 females and 118 males) married, divorced, single mothers in South Sudan. The results show that women and girls in South Sudan continue to be at risk of violence from cultural impact more than Rwandan women. Poverty, education, and insecurity play a huge role in promoting aggression against South Sudanese women.

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Is Women’s Empowerment Associated With Help-Seeking for Spousal Violence in India?

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260515618945 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (9) ◽

pp. 1519-1548 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Kathleen Rowan ◽

Elizabeth Mumford ◽

Cari Jo Clark

Keyword(s):

Violence Against Women ◽

Help Seeking ◽

State Level ◽

Married Women ◽

Social Classes ◽

Spousal Violence ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Individual Level ◽

Seeking Help ◽

Low Prevalence

Violence against women by their husbands is a problem for women worldwide. However, the majority of women do not seek help. This article presents findings from a national survey in India on empowerment-related correlates of help-seeking behaviors for currently married women who experienced spousal violence. We examined individual-, relationship-, and state-level measures of empowerment on help-seeking from informal and formal sources. Findings indicate that help-seeking is largely not associated with typical measures of empowerment or socio-economic development, whereas state-level indicators of empowerment may influence help-seeking. Although not a target of this study, we also note that injury from violence and the severity of the violence were among the strongest factors related to seeking help. Taken together, the low prevalence of help-seeking and lack of strong individual-level correlates, apart from severe harm, suggests widespread barriers to seeking help. Interventions that affect social norms and reach women and men across social classes in society are needed in addition to any individual-level efforts to promote seeking help for spousal violence.

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Barriers to Help-Seeking for Sexual Violence Among Married or Cohabiting Women in Ghana

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/10778012211060861 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107780122110608

Author(s):

Gervin A. Apatinga ◽

Eric Y. Tenkorang

Keyword(s):

Sexual Violence ◽

Violence Against Women ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Sexually Abused ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Female Survivors ◽

Financial Difficulties ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Depth Interviews

While sexual violence against women has gained attention in sub-Saharan Africa, research examining help-seeking remains limited. Scholarship on barriers to help-seeking among sexually abused married or cohabiting women is particularly lacking. We used the barriers model and held 15 in-depth interviews with sexually abused Ghanaian married or cohabiting women to examine help-seeking behaviors. Participants identified multiple barriers to help-seeking, including financial difficulties, lack of social support, and stigma. The results corroborate the barriers model's formulation of the challenges faced by female survivors in reporting violence. They indicate the need to improve laws to promote help-seeking among women with experiences of sexual violence.

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Researching violence against women and girls in South Sudan: ethical and safety considerations and strategies

Conflict and Health ◽

10.1186/s13031-019-0239-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Manuel Contreras-Urbina ◽

Alexandra Blackwell ◽

Maureen Murphy ◽

Mary Ellsberg

Keyword(s):

Violence Against Women ◽

South Sudan ◽

World Health ◽

Ethical Challenges ◽

Ethical Guidelines ◽

Local Networks ◽

Humanitarian Settings ◽

Local Stakeholders ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Safety Considerations

Abstract Background Globally, it is estimated that at least one out of every three women experiences violence by an intimate partner and/or non-partner throughout their lifetime. Women and girls are at even higher risk of violence in conflict and humanitarian crises. Although effort has expanded to build rigorous evidence and research on violence against women and girls (VAWG) among conflict-affected populations, methodological and ethical challenges remain. Basic ethical research practices are more challenging in conflict-affected populations and therefore require supplementary protections. While it is important to follow international ethical guidelines, in practice it is sometimes difficult depending on the setting. The aim of this paper is to present the main ethical challenges that occur when conducting research on VAWG in conflict and humanitarian settings, as well as potential strategies to address these challenges, based on a recent study carried out in South Sudan in 2016. Case presentation This paper provides an analysis utilizing the World Health Organization guidelines on doing research on VAWG and in conflict and humanitarian settings. The paper analyses four main components: the first component is a risk-benefit assessment, which includes identifying the research gap and evaluating feasibility with local stakeholders. The second component is a methodological and conceptual approach, which involves both local stakeholders and external experts in order to develop flexible methods that can be used in a volatile conflict setting. The third component is safety considerations, which emphasizes the importance of collaborating with a partner with strong local networks. The last component is analysis and research uptake. This component describes the importance of developing different research products, and disseminating them in a way to ensure they would be relevant and minimize any risks to the participants. Conclusions The study in South Sudan provided an excellent opportunity to put into practice the international ethical guidelines to carry out research on VAWG in conflict and humanitarian settings. The study enabled the research team to reflect on the guidelines and develop strategies to cope with new methodological and ethical challenges that arose in this complex setting, adapting the guidelines, as necessary. It demonstrated the necessity of developing a strong yet adaptable methodology with multiple alternative plans to solve any safety or ethical issues that occur throughout the entirety of the study. It also revealed the importance of collaborating with an implementing partner and gathering input from both local and international stakeholders on research design, analysis and uptake. Most importantly, the study in South Sudan emphasized that this type of complex research requires significant planning, in addition to substantial financial and human resources. Donor buy-in and flexibility is therefore essential.

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Sexual violence against women and girls in South Sudan

Conflict and Health ◽

10.1186/s13031-020-00268-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dilshad Jaff

Keyword(s):

Sexual Violence ◽

Violence Against Women ◽

South Sudan ◽

Women And Girls

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“If You Are Born a Girl in This Crisis, You Are Born a Problem”: Patterns and Drivers of Violence Against Women and Girls in Conflict-Affected South Sudan

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/1077801221996463 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107780122199646

Author(s):

Mary Ellsberg ◽

Maureen Murphy ◽

Alexandra Blackwell ◽

Mairi Macrae ◽

Dashakti Reddy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexual Violence ◽

Economic Crisis ◽

Violence Against Women ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Physical Violence ◽

South Sudan ◽

Key Driver ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Bride Price ◽

Forms Of Violence

This article presents the results of a qualitative study on the context and different forms of violence committed against women and girls in South Sudan. The study documents many forms of sexual and physical violence against women and girls in South Sudan, including conflict-related sexual violence, intimate partner violence, nonpartner sexual violence, child and forced marriage, and abduction. Violence occurred during three overarching contexts: armed conflict, gender inequality, and the economic crisis. The custom of bride price, combined with the economic crisis, is a key driver of many other forms of violence.

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“So Why Should I Call Them?”: Survivor Support Service Characteristics as Drivers of Help-Seeking in India

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260520970306 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088626052097030

Author(s):

Jennifer A. Newberry ◽

Japsimran Kaur ◽

Shravya Gurrapu ◽

Rasika Behl ◽

Gary L. Darmstadt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Violence Against Women ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Support Service ◽

Future Research ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Service Characteristics ◽

The Impact ◽

Depth Interviews

Women in South Asia face the highest lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence in the world, which is just one form of violence against women (VAW). In India, few women seek help after experiencing violence, particularly from formal resources, such as physicians or the police. While many studies have investigated the impact of survivor characteristics and patterns of violence on help-seeking behaviors, there is scant research on support service characteristics and their impact on help-seeking. The introduction of a novel crisis helpline in Gujarat, India provided an opportunity to better understand how successful help-seeking can be driven by the perceived and experienced characteristics of the helpline. We conducted in-depth interviews with helpline users to identify factors and pathways that promoted or discouraged help-seeking in general, help-seeking from a formal source, and help-seeking from this particular helpline. We analyzed 32 interviews of women who used the helpline. Participants were from eight districts across the state, representing a diverse range of sociodemographic backgrounds. After conducting a thematic analysis, we found that action-oriented service, timeliness, and women-focused staff influenced (positively and negatively) participants’ feelings of safety, empowerment, and trust in the helpline, which ultimately impacted their decision to seek help from the helpline or even to seek help at all. This study illuminates how service characteristics, in and of themselves, can influence the likelihood that survivors will seek help, emphasizing the need for survivors to have a voice in the growth and refinement of VAW support services. Consequently, these areas must be a focus of future research and initiatives to improve help-seeking by VAW survivors.

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