Disability status and violence against women in the home in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Scolese, Anna; Asghar, Khudejha; Cordero, Ricardo Pla; Roth, Danielle; Gupta, Jhumka; Falb, Kathryn

doi:10.1080/17441692.2020.1741661

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Women with disabilities were more likely to experience physical, sexual and emotional violence than women without disabilities 134–137. Qualitative findings from the DRC suggested that this may be related to an inability to fulfil expected gender roles in the household 138. Women who experienced mental ill health were similarly at risk of experiencing violence in intimate relationships and family settings,46 47 63 139 but also in the workplace140 and by strangers 47 141.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factors for violence against women in high-prevalence settings: a mixed-methods systematic review and meta-synthesis

Mannell¹,

Lowe²,

Brown³

et al. 2022

BMJ Glob Health

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IntroductionViolence against women (VAW) affects one in three women globally. In some countries, women are at much higher risk. We examined risk factors for VAW in countries with the highest 12-month prevalence estimates of intimate partner violence (IPV) to develop understanding of this increased risk.MethodsFor this systematic review, we searched PUBMED, CINAHL, PROQUEST (Middle East and North Africa; Latin America and Iberia; East and South Asia), Web of Science, EMBASE and PsycINFO (Ovid) for records published between 1 January 2000 and 1 January 2021 in English, French and Spanish. Included records used quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods, reported original data, had VAW as the main outcome, and focused on at least one of 23 countries in the highest quintile of prevalence figures for women’s self-reported experiences of physical and/or sexual violence in the past 12 months. We used critical interpretive synthesis to develop a conceptual model for associations between identified risk factors and VAW.ResultsOur search identified 12 044 records, of which 241 were included for analysis (2 80 360 women, 40 276 men, 274 key informants). Most studies were from Bangladesh (74), Uganda (72) and Tanzania (43). Several quantitative studies explored community-level/region-level socioeconomic status and education as risk factors, but associations with VAW were mixed. Although fewer in number and representing just one country, studies reported more consistent effects for community-level childhood exposure to violence and urban residence. Theoretical explanations for a country’s high prevalence point to the importance of exposure to other forms of violence (armed conflict, witnessing parental violence, child abuse) and patriarchal social norms.ConclusionAvailable evidence suggests that heightened prevalence of VAW is not attributable to a single risk factor. Multilayered and area-level risk analyses are needed to ensure funding is appropriately targeted for countries where VAW is most pervasive.PROSPERO registration numberThe review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020190147).

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factors for violence against women in high-prevalence settings: a mixed-methods systematic review and meta-synthesis

Mannell¹,

Lowe²,

Brown³

et al. 2022

BMJ Glob Health

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“…In these instances, role fulfillment related to gender superseded norms operating at higher levels of the model, such as religious beliefs that encouraged compassion for persons with disabilities. The relationship between disability, older age, and risk of IPV against women is particularly complex (Scolese et al, 2020), and given approximately 15% of the global population is estimated to be living with some form of a disability (World Health Organization, 2011), further research is warranted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing an Inclusive Conceptual Model for Preventing Violence in the Home in Humanitarian Settings: Qualitative Findings From Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Falb

Asghar

Pardo

et al. 2020

J Interpers Violence

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This qualitative study sought to explore the shared risk factors and social norms that may underpin the co-occurrence of intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, and violence against other marginalized household members in the home. Data are drawn from participants who completed either in-depth interviews ( N = 51 men, N = 52 women participants) or focus groups ( N = 22 men, N = 23 women participants) and were living in two distinct humanitarian settings: North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Northern Shan State and Southern Kachin State, Myanmar. Within this overarching objective, attention to these shared drivers for violence in the home, which may arise from people having multiple and interacting social identities, such as disability status, gender, and age, was explored through an inclusion lens and inductive coding approaches. Findings point to risk factors of violence in the home at all levels of the ecological model, which are underpinned at the macro level by gender inequality, armed conflict, and political instability, among other factors. With the community and family levels, gender inequality manifested in norms related to the acceptability of violence, family reputation, and aged and gendered power hierarchies within the home. Shared risk factors of violence at these levels also included displacement/migration-related stressors, inconsistent income, and lack of community resources to support families, especially for those with disabilities. At the most time-proximal level, interactions between role (non)fulfillment, inability of families to meet their basic needs, alcohol and substance abuse, and abusive expressions of anger were found to catalyze instances of violence in the home. The conceptual model also illuminates potential levers and inclusive entry points that prevent violence in the home for diverse women, children, persons with disabilities, and older persons. Key attention to addressing gender inequality and acceptance of violence must be a cornerstone of sustainable programming, alongside complementary approaches that address other shared risk factors.

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“…This figure for disability prevalence is higher than would be expected for a population of this age group. Our findings are consistent with other research from non-camp settings showing that people with disabilities are at increased risk of violence and exploitation (Mirza, 2015; Dunkle et al ., 2018; Scolese et al ., 2020a). Our research also suggests that refugee women with a disability are more likely to report poor mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, and PTSD), which is consistent with the existing literature (Steel et al ., 2009; Bogic et al ., 2015; Abu Suhaiban et al ., 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other research has found significant correlations between disability and poor mental health outcomes including anxiety and depression (Kinne et al ., 2004; Dembo et al ., 2018). However, there is little evidence from humanitarian and conflict settings and limited trial data (Hughes et al ., 2012; Jones et al ., 2012; Mikton et al ., 2014; Sipsma et al ., 2015; Devries et al ., 2018; Scolese et al ., 2020 a , b ). Emerging research from low- and middle-income countries is starting to explore the links between disability, gender, and violence (Dunkle et al ., 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…People with disabilities may be more vulnerable to violence because of their marginalised position in society which can include the need for regular assistance, discrimination, and physical and communication barriers. This may, in turn, impact their ability to disclose abuse and access support (Nosek et al, 2001;Scolese et al, 2020a). This may also make them less resilient to cope with the impact of GBV, and therefore potentially more likely to suffer adverse mental health consequences, although data are lacking (Brütt et al 2013;Linden, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Disability, violence, and mental health among Somali refugee women in a humanitarian setting

et al. 2020

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Background There is limited evidence on the relationship between disability, experiences of gender-based violence (GBV), and mental health among refugee women in humanitarian contexts. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of baseline data (n = 209) collected from women enrolled in a cohort study of refugee women accessing GBV response services in the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya. Women were surveyed about GBV experiences (past 12 months, before the last 12 months, before arriving in the refugee camps), functional disability status, and mental health (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress), and we explored the inter-relationship of these factors. Results Among women accessing GBV response services, 44% reported a disability. A higher proportion of women with a disability (69%) reported a past-year experience of physical intimate partner violence and/or physical or sexual non-partner violence, compared to women without a disability (54%). A higher proportion of women with a disability (32%) experienced non-partner physical or sexual violence before arriving in the camp compared to women without a disability (16%). Disability was associated with higher scores for depression (1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54–3.33), PTSD (2.26, 95% CI 0.03–4.49), and anxiety (1.54, 95% CI 0.13–2.95) after adjusting for age, length of encampment, partner status, number of children, and GBV indicators. Conclusions A large proportion of refugee women seeking GBV response services have disabilities, and refugee women with a disability are at high risk of poor mental health. This research highlights the need for mental health and disability screening within GBV response programming.

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Disability status and violence against women in the home in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Cited by 14 publications

References 12 publications

Risk factors for violence against women in high-prevalence settings: a mixed-methods systematic review and meta-synthesis

Risk factors for violence against women in high-prevalence settings: a mixed-methods systematic review and meta-synthesis

Developing an Inclusive Conceptual Model for Preventing Violence in the Home in Humanitarian Settings: Qualitative Findings From Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Disability, violence, and mental health among Somali refugee women in a humanitarian setting

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