This study explored patterns of abuse and care seeking among women victims of gender-based violence (GBV) in Afghanistan. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 Afghan women (M age = 19 years) living in a shelter for victims of GBV. Interviews were analyzed thematically. Participants reported experiencing multiple forms of abuse. The majority received medical treatment for abuse-related health concerns. However, less than half reported abuse to health care providers or were asked by health care providers about the context of their injuries. Strategies to improve health care responses to GBV are needed to ensure safety and support for Afghan women.
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. (2013). Violence against women in Afghanistan (The first six months of the year-1392). Retrieved from http://www.refworld.org/docid/5297436c4.html
2.
Ahmed-GhoshH. (2003). A history of women in Afghanistan: Lessons learnt for the future or yesterdays and tomorrow: Women in Afghanistan. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 4, 1-14.
3.
AyotteB. (2002). Women’s health and human rights in Afghanistan: Continuing challenges. Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, 25, 75-77.
4.
CoomaraswamyR. (2005). Violence against women and “crimes of honor.” In WelchmanL.HossainS. (Eds.), “Honour”: Crimes, paradigms, and violence against women (pp. xi-xiv). London, England: Zed Books.
5.
DeckerM. R.FrattaroliS.McCawB.CokerA. L.MillerE.SharpsP.. (2012). Transforming the healthcare response to intimate partner violence and taking best practices to scale. Journal of Women’s Health, 21, 1222-1229.
6.
HansenP. M.PetersD. H.EdwardA.GuptaS.ArurA.NiayeshH.BurnhamG. (2008). Determinants of primary care service quality in Afghanistan. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 20, 375-383.
Inter-Agency Standing Committee. (2005). Guidelines for gender-based violence interventions in humanitarian settings focusing on prevention of and response to sexual violence in emergencies. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/pht/GBVGuidelines08.28.05.pdf
9.
Minsky-KellyD.HambergerL. K.PapeD. A.WolffM. (2005). We’ve had training, now what? Qualitative analysis of barriers to domestic violence screening and referral in a health care setting. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20, 1288-1309.
10.
OthmanS.GoddardC.PitermanL. (2014). Victims’ barriers to discussing domestic violence in clinical consultations: A qualitative enquiry. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29, 1497-1513.
RabinR. F.JenningsJ. M.CampbellJ. C.Bair-MerrittM. H. (2009). Intimate partner violence screening tools: A systematic review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36, 439-445.
13.
RasekhZ.BauerH. M.ManosM. M.IacopinoV. (1998). Women’s health and human rights in Afghanistan. Journal of the American Medical Association, 280, 449-455.
StarkL.RobertsL.WheatonW.AchamA.BoothbyN.AgerA. (2010). Measuring violence against women amidst war and displacement in Northern Uganda using the “neighbourhood method.”Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 64, 1056-1061.
U.S. Agency for International Development. (2009). A guide to programming gender-based violence prevention and response activities. Retrieved from http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADO561.pdf
21.
WirtzA. L.GlassN.PhamK.AberraA.RubensteinL. S.SinghS.VuA. (2013). Development of a screening tool to identify female survivors of gender-based violence in a humanitarian setting: Qualitative evidence from research among refugees in Ethiopia. Conflict and Health, 7, Article 13.
