Help-seeking behaviors among female survivors of abuse in Gujarat: A qualitative study

Background:Every nine minutes domestic violence (DV) against women occurs in India. This widespread cruelty against women has recently received increased international attention. However, few resources exist that explore why women do or do not seek help in these situations. Given the deleterious health effects of DV, it is important to identify what influences help-seeking behaviors of survivors and what resources are needed.

Purpose: To describe the experiences and help-seeking behaviors of survivors of DV.

Significance: Minimal qualitative research exists about Indian female survivors of DV. This research adds context to existing research about DV prevalence in India.

Methods: Ten female survivors of domestic abuse were interviewed in Gujarat, India. All in-person interviews were conducted in Gujarati, Hindi, and English. Interview questions collected information on a woman’s experience with DV, including their help-seeking behaviors. Two student researchers reviewed and analyzed interviews to identify themes.

Results: The most common help-seeking barriers identified were: lack of social support, peer pressure, lack of economic opportunity, and being unaware of available resources. Strong social support networks were primary deciding factors that enabled women to leave an abusive partner. When asked about needed community resources, skills training and a steady income were identified as priority areas.

Conclusion Future research should further investigate the role of formal and informal social support as a deciding factor in women’s decisions to leave abusive partners. Interventions are needed to provide women in Gujarat with additional job training and economic opportunities.