Global Voices of Trauma Recovery: A Synthesis of Survivor-Provided Advice for Overcoming Gender-Based Violence Across Seven Countries

Abstract

Minimal research has examined culturally nuanced healing experiences across national landscapes, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of culturally relevant healing experiences for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). This paper explores these experience among 136 survivors of GBV across seven global contexts. Using the Clinical Ethnographic Narrative Interview-Trauma, after reflecting on their healing journey, survivors shared advice for others healing from GBV. Using the Comparative Ethnographic Narrative Analysis Method, we found shared, culturally distinct, and nuanced themes in this advice, including actions to promote healing, building a positive self-concept, and finding strength. Findings underscore the importance of contextually sensitive and survivor-informed approaches in social and health services, urging more tailored healing strategies after GBV. Findings also demonstrate the importance of analyzing cultural nuance in qualitative research themes to allow more culturally relevant survivorship care.

Keywords

gender-based violence survivorship mental health PTSD trauma recovery global mental health cross-cultural psychology

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alkan

Ö.

Tekmanlı

H. H.

(2021). Determination of the factors affecting sexual violence against women in Turkey: A population-based analysis. BMC Women’s Health, 21(1), Article 188. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01333-1

Amarsanaa

Kovács

Rácz

(2023). Posttraumatic growth: Experiences of Mongolian and Hungarian survivors of intimate partner violence. Acta Psychologica, 233, Article 103825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.103825

AME-MPE . (2019). Domestic violence increased nationwide — Information forms from the National Police. Αθηναϊκό — Μακεδονικό πρακτορείο ειδήσεων. https://www.amna.gr/macedonia/article/410493/Auximeni-i-endooikogeneiaki-bia-panelladika—Enimerotikaentupa-apo-tin-EL-AS

Association for Asian Studies . (2020). Japan and the world, 1450-1770: Was Japan a “closed country?”. https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/japan-and-the-world-1450-1770-was-japan-a-closed-country/

Brown

(2008). Cultural competence in trauma therapy: Beyond the flashback. APA. https://doi.org/10.1037/11752-000

Bryant-Davis

(2019). The cultural context of trauma recovery: Considering the posttraumatic stress disorder practice guideline and intersectionality. Psychotherapy, 56(3), 400–408. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000241

Bryant-Davis

Ullah

(2013). Therapeutic treatment approaches for ethnically diverse survivors of interpersonal trauma, In F. A. Paniagua & A.-M. Yamada (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural mental health: Assessment and treatment of diverse populations (2nd ed., pp. 505–524). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394420-7.00026-6

Bryngeirsdottir

H. S.

Arnault

D. S.

Halldorsdottir

(2022). The post-traumatic growth journey of women who have survived intimate partner violence: A synthesized theory emphasizing obstacles and facilitating factors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(14), Article 8653. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148653

Bryngeirsdottir

H. S.

Halldorsdottir

(2022). “I’m a winner, not a victim”: The facilitating factors of post-traumatic growth among women who have suffered intimate partner violence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), Article 1342. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031342

10.

Council of Europe . (2018). Gender equality strategy 2018-2023 . https://rm.coe.int/ge-strategy-2018-2023/1680791246

11.

Duma

S. E.

Mekwa

J. N.

Denny

L. D.

(2007). Women’s journey of recovery from sexual assault trauma: A grounded theory-part 1. Curationis, 30(4), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v30i4.1111

12.

Ella

Goldner

(2023). Beyond surviving: A glimpse into Jewish-Israeli women’s recovery trajectories after experiencing intimate partner violence. Violence Against Women. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012231220375

13.

European Union . (2014). Violence against women: An EU wide survey main results. https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2014-vaw-survey-main-results-apr14_en.pdf

14.

European Institute of Gender Equality . (2024). Gender equality forum . https://eige.europa.eu/

15.

Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office of Japan . (2021a). The crime of non-consensual sexual intercourse . https://www.gender.go.jp/policy/no_violence/dfsa/law.html

16.

Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office of Japan . (2021b). Prevalence of domestic violence in Japan. https://www.gender.go.jp/about_danjo/whitepaper/r04/zentai/html/zuhyo/zuhyo05-01.html

17.

Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office of Japan . (2022). The time series of the number of Consultations on Domestic Violence . https://www.gender.go.jp/research/weekly_data/10.html

18.

Gill

(2018). Survivor-centered research: Towards an intersectional gender-based violence movement. Journal of Family Violence, 33(8), 559–562. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-018-9993-0

19.

Harvey

M. R.

(1996). An ecological view of psychological trauma and trauma recovery. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9(1), 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490090103

20.

Herman

J. L.

(1992). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence from domestic abuse to political terror. Basic Books.

21.

ICF SA . (2022). Impact assessment on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence . https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/13adc468-7765-42a7-8135-5fccff4b4a71_en?filename=Studytosupporttheimpactassessmentonpreventingandcombattingviolenceagainstwomenanddomesticviolence.pdf

22.

John

Casey

S. E.

Carino

McGovern

(2020). Lessons never learned: Crisis and gender-based violence. Developing World Bioethics, 20(2), 65–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/dewb.12261

23.

KETHI . (2003). Domestic violence against women: First pan-hellenic epidemiological survey. https://www.kethi.gr/ereunes-meletes/endo-oikogeneiaki-bia-kata-ton-gynaikon-proti-panelladiki-epidimiologiki-ereyna

24.

ΚΕTHI . (2020, February 28) Violence against women. https://www.kethi.gr/nea/i-bia-kata-ton-gynaikon-se-arithmoys-0

25.

Lathiotaki

Koutra

Ratsika

Saint Arnault

(2021). Trauma recovery of Greek women who have experienced gender-based violence: A narrative research. Sexes, 2(3), 256–271. https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes2030021

26.

LawsTurkey . (2024). Law to protect family and prevent violence against woman (6284). https://www.lawsturkey.com/law/law-to-protect-family-and-prevent-violence-against-woman-6284

27.

Lundqvist

(2020). Understanding Japan’s gender inequality . https://www.isdp.eu/understanding-japans-gender-inequality

28.

Ministry for Foreign Affairs . (2021). Generation equality forum: Policy brief on Iceland’s roadmap for ending gender-based violence by 2026. https://www.stjornarradid.is/library/01—Frettatengt---myndir-og-skrar/FOR/Fylgiskjol-i-frett/GEF-Iceland.pdf

29.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health . (2021). Maahanmuuton tilannekatsaus: Suomen väestö monimuotoistuu – vaihtelua on alueittain. Suomen väestö monimuotoistuu – vaihtelua on alueittain [Finland’s population is becoming more diverse – there is variation by region]. Sisäministeriö. https://intermin.fi/-/suomen-vaesto-monimuotoistuu-vaihtelua-on-alueittain

30.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health . (2022). Action plan for the Istanbul convention for 2022–2025. Julkaisujen Jakelu Distribution. https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/164242/STM_22_10_J.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

31.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health . (2023). Wellbeing services counties will be responsible for organising health, social and rescue services. https://stm.fi/en/wellbeing-services-counties

32.

Ministry of the Interior . (2018). National action plan for gender equality (NAPGE) . https://isotita.gr/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/National-Action-Plan-for-Gender-Equality-2016-2020.pdf

33.

Ministry of Welfare . (2016, March 3). A Nordic Welfare indicator system (NOVI) — Report for the Nordic Council of Ministers. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. https://www.stjornarradid.is/library/03-Verkefni/Felags—og-fjolskyldumal/Velferdarvaktir/NOVI-project-Final-report-archive.pdf

34.

Mittal

Singh

(2020). Gender-based violence during COVID-19 pandemic: A mini-review. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 1, Article 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2020.00004

35.

Müdürlüğü

B. T. G.

(2023). Kadına Yönelik şiddetle mücadele IV. Ulusal Eylem Planı (2021-2025) [4th National Action Plan on Combating Violence and Women (2021-2025)] , Türkiye . https://aile.gov.tr/ksgm/ulusal-eylem-planlari/kadina-yonelik-siddetle-mucadele-iv-ulusal-eylem-plani-2021-2025/

36.

Oikeusministeriö . (2020). Naisiin kohdistuvan väkivallan torjuntaohjelma vuosille 2020–2023 [Annual programme to combat violence against women]. https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/162499/OM_2020_15_ML.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

37.

Pokharel

Hegadoren

Papathanassoglou

(2020). Factors influencing silencing of women who experience intimate partner violence: An integrative review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 52(4), Article 101422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2020.101422

38.

Prime Minster Office . (2021). Samantekt á styrkveitingum Jafnréttissjóðs Íslands 2016–2020 [Icelandic gender equality fund 2016–2020]. https://www.stjornarradid.is/library/02-Rit--skyrslur-og-skrar/SamantektástyrkveitingumJafnréttissjóðsÍslands2016-2020.pdf

39.

Rees

Steel

Creamer

Teesson

Bryant

McFarlane

A. C.

Mills

K. L.

Slade

Carragher

O’Donnell

Forbes

Silove

(2014). Onset of common mental disorders and suicidal behavior following women’s first exposure to gender-based violence: A retrospective, population-based study. BMC Psychiatry, 14(1), Article 312. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-014-0312-x

40.

Rodelli

Koutra

Thorvaldsdottir

K. B.

Bilgin

Ratsika

Testoni

Saint Arnault

D. M.

(2022). Conceptual development and content validation of a multicultural instrument to assess the normalization of gender-based violence against women. Sexuality & Culture, 26(1), 26–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09877-y

41.

Sacks

Ackerman

A. R.

Shlosberg

(2018). Rape myths in the media: A content analysis of local newspaper reporting in the United States. Deviant Behavior, 39(9), 1237–1246. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2017.1410608

42.

Saint Arnault

Sinko

(2021). Comparative ethnographic narrative analysis method: Comparing culture in narratives. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/23333936211020722

43.

Saint Arnault

D. M.

(2017). The use of the clinical ethnographic narrative interview to understand and support help seeking after gender-based violence. TPM - Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 24(3), 423–436. https://doi.org/10.4473/TPM24.3.8

44.

Sinko

Goldner

Saint Arnault

D. M.

(2021). The trauma recovery actions checklist: Applying mixed methods to a holistic gender-based violence recovery actions measure. Sexes, 2(3), 363–377. https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes2030029

45.

Sinko

James

Hughesdon

(2021). Healing after gender-based violence: A qualitative metasynthesis using meta-ethnography. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(4), 1184–1203. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838021991305

46.

Sorsa

Bryngeirsdottir

H. S.

Paavilainen

(2023). “Going forward like a grandmother in the snow”: Personal survival strategies, motherhood, and nature as resources for mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(7), Article 5389. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075389

47.

The Directorate General on the Status of Women . (2023). Improvement in the status of women in the United Nations system: Report of the Secretary General. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2023/07/improvement-in-the-status-of-women-in-the-united-nations-system-2023

48.

Thorvaldsdottir

K. B.

Halldorsdottir

Saint Arnault

D. M.

(2021). Understanding and measuring help-seeking barriers among intimate partner violence survivors: Mixed-methods validation study of the Icelandic Barriers to Help-Seeking for Trauma (BHS-TR) scale. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), Article 104. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010104

49.

Truchan

(2023). An absent “No” is not a “yes”: A legal analysis of consent in Japan’s amended penal code and international rape legislation standards. University of Pennsylvania Asian Law Review, 19(2), Article 298. https://doi.org/10.58112/alr.19-2.4

50.

Tseris

(2013). Trauma theory without feminism? Evaluating contemporary understandings of traumatized women. Journal of Women and Social Work, 28(2), 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886109913485707

51.

U.N. Women Europe and Central Asia . (2024, February 29). Ending violence against women and girls. UN Women. https://eca.unwomen.org/en/where-we-are/Türkiye/ending-violence-against-women

52.

U.N. Women Türkiye . (2022). UN Women and the Ministry of Interior of Türkiye join forces to combat violence against women and girls . https://turkiye.un.org/en/200238-un-women-and-ministry-interior-t%C3%BCrkiye-join-forces-combat-violence-against-women-and-girls

53.

USAID . (2003, February 2) Gender and gender-based violence. U.S. Department of State. https://www.state.gov/other-policy-issues/gender-and-gender-based-violence/

54.

Valtioneuvosto . (2022). Tuoreen suunnitelman tavoitteena on torjua naisiin kohdistuvaa väkivaltaa ja perheväkivaltaa [The new plan aims to combat violence against women and domestic violence]. https://valtioneuvosto.fi/-/1271139/tuoreen-suunnitelman-tavoitteena-on-torjua-naisiin-kohdistuvaa-vakivaltaa-ja-perhevakivaltaa

55.

Valtioneuvosto . (2023). A strong and committed Finland: Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government . https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/165044

56.

Valtioneuvoston kanslia . (2023). Arvot ja ihmiskäsitys [Values and understanding of humanity]. https://vnk.fi/toimi/ilmiot/arvot-ja-ihmiskasitys

57.

World Economic Forum . (2021, March). Global gender gap report 2021. https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2021/

58.

World Economic Forum . (2023, March). Global gender gap report 2023 . https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2023.pdf

59.

World Health Organization . (2021). Devastatingly pervasive: 1 in 3 women globally experience violence . https://www.who.int/news/item/09-03-2021-devastatingly-pervasive-1-in-3-women-globally-experience-violence