“Plates and Dishes Smash; Married Couples Clash”: Cultural and Social Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Women Domestic Violence Survivors in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

This article develops a grounded theory of help-seeking to investigate the social and cultural determinants of help-seeking among Kyrgyz women who have experienced domestic violence. Results indicate that cultural traditions and social norms-most notably the social construction of marriage, the shame associated with divorce, and the status of daughters-in-law in Kyrgyz society-are used to justify domestic violence and prevent victims from seeking help. The proposed theory and results suggest that scholars, policymakers, and front-line contacts must emphasize dispelling myths, misconceptions, and traditional beliefs about gender and marriage to break the abusive dynamics and provide professional help.

Leaving and Beyond: Voices of Survivors of Domestic Violence From Kyrgyzstan

“…Women who experience domestic violence face enormous barriers to help seeking in Kyrgyzstan. Sociocultural norms, including social sanctions, shame, and stigma, discourage help-seeking behaviors (Childress, 2017) forcing women to endure abuse from their partners for prolonged periods with minimal support from formal and informal sources (Childress, Gioia, & Campbell, accepted). In addition, women experience legal and systemic barriers ranging from ineffectual police and institutional responses to abuse against women, including failure to enforce protection orders, corruption, negligence, and pro forma police attitudes that present enormous hurdles for women considering leaving abusive relationships (Childress & Hanusa, 2018).…”

Women's decision‐making autonomy and utilization of antenatal, natal and post‐natal healthcare services: Insights from Tajikistan's national surveys

“…17 Equally, Childress indicated that the social construction of marriage, the shame associated with domestic violence, and the status of daughters-in-law in the family is used to justify domestic violence and prevent victims from seeking help. 56 Under these circumstances, the above-describe messages can be useful to change attitudes and beliefs about women status and hence lead to women's autonomy.…”

Kyrgyz Republic Country Gender Assessment

“…Evidence from women's NGOs in the Kyrgyz Republic suggests that the actual numbers are far higher. The majority of cases go unreported for reasons that include fear of retaliation by the perpetrator, concern over social stigma, and a lack of available services, such as shelters and financial assistance (Moldosheva 2008 Cultural norms-internalized through proverbs and phrases-reinforce the perception that violence is a natural part of marriage for many women, which should be endured (Childress 2017;Equal Rights Trust 2016;FAO 2016). According to Kyrgyz tradition, after marriage, a woman leaves her parental home to live with her husband and, often, his extended family.…”

“…She becomes "almost the property of the new family" and is strongly discouraged from seeking support from her parents. In their new roles as daughters-in-law and wives, women often find themselves in situations of disempowerment and isolation, unable to speak up against abuse in their new families (Childress 2017 . There was no point for me, as I understood, the wife is compared to a "neck," which can turn the husband's head in the right direction, and if the woman is not able to manage the situation and avoid being hurt, she is seen as failing to fulfill her duty as a caretaker and the peacemaker in the family" (Childress 2017, p. 8).…”

“…Women may be seen to warrant the abuse by their in-laws and husband because they are not working hard enough or have failed to give birth to sons(Childress 2017. ) According to a national study, one in every two women accepts that husbands are usually justified in beating their wives, and that wives often cause them to do so by arguing with them (Joshi and Childress 2017).…”