The Health Care Sector Response to Intimate Partner Violence in Kenya: Exploring Health Care Providers’ Perceptions of Care for Victims

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent in Kenya, yet few studies have examined the role of health care providers (HCPs) in addressing IPV. Interviews with 18 Kenyan HCPs explored how they recognize and support IPV victims, including barriers to care. HCPs most commonly see victims of physical abuse. Medical responses to victims included counseling, treatment, and referrals, although rural HCPs reported fewer available services than in urban settings. HCPs attributed the limited response to IPV victims to unclear laws and fragmented care, especially in a culture where IPV remains largely unspoken and underreported. These results underscore the need for increased training on IPV assessment and response for HCPs in Kenya, with emphasis on standardized care guidelines for victims.

Healthcare Provider Responses and Preparedness towards Caring for Females who have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence in Sri Lanka

“…Research from different countries also shows that females who experience IPV have frequent and repeated contact with healthcare providers (HCP) (WHO, 2012;Bair-Merritt et al, 2014;Ellsberg et al, 2008;Fulu et al, 2013;Campbell, 2002). It is also evident that HCPs can help females living with IPV in various ways: providing them with opportunities to talk about the abuse, offer counselling, get information about other services and resources, become less tolerant of abusive behaviours, and, eventually, encourage a survivor to leave abusive relationships (Kothari & Rhodes, 2006;Nguyen et al, 2016;Thomas, n.d.;Boeckel et al, 2017;Change et al, 2010;Hegarty et al, 2012). However, there are many barriers to providing IPV-related care in healthcare settings.…”

“…However, there are many barriers to providing IPV-related care in healthcare settings. Some of these barriers relate to HCPs' lack of knowledge and skills about how to respond to females experiencing IPV and/or negative attitudes and beliefs about IPV, and others relate to the availability of institutional supports and resources (Crowe & Murray, 2015;Nguyen et al, 2016;Boeckel et al, 2017;Morse et al, 2012).…”

“…Much of the research on HCPs' role in IPV-related care provision is from high-income countries. The knowledge base from low and middle-income countries (LMIC) is growing, and research conducted in different settings in Asia reports that while 40-90% of females have experienced IPV (Colombini et al, 2017), only a small proportion sought help from HCPs (Nguyen et al, 2016;Norris et al, 2017;Sheehan et al, 2011). The literature is limited on HCP preparedness and responses to provide IPV-related care in Sri Lanka, the setting for this study.…”

Victims and Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence Among Sexually Active Youth in a Community With a High HIV Prevalence in Western Kenya

“…22 There should also be clear laws related to IPV to enhance legal reporting and clear guidelines on the management of all forms of IPVnot just physical violence. 33 Health-care programmes should also publicise the availability of gender-based violence and recovery services to both health-care providers and communities to encourage reporting of IPV. Information campaigns have been shown to enhance clients' perspectives on the availability of facilities to assist victims of IPV.…”

“…Upstream approaches include legislation to deter potential offenders and punish reported offenders. 33 Policy makers should enforce existing legislation, such as the Sexual Offences Act in the Constitution of Kenya, which will deter potential perpetrators of IPV and reprimand identified perpetrators. 35 Policy makers also ought to address other determinants of IPV, including poverty, drug abuse, economic dependency on men by victims of IPV, and societal norms.…”