Intimate partner violence in women with disabilities: perception of healthcare and attitudes of health professionals

Abstract

The difficulties described by the women interviewed are broadly speaking the same as those described by the healthcare professionals consulted. A number of suggestions for improvements are provided based on the results found. Implications for Rehabilitation The rehabilitation of abused disabled women implies that women perceive the health system as a resource to resolve their situation. Healthcare professionals should be trained on how to detect, treat and communicate with disabled women who experience partner violence. Is needed to establish a comprehensive system of coordination between services involved in caring for abused women and with disabilities.

Development and initial validation of the Clinician Attitude Toward Violence Affecting Women With Disabilities (CAVAWD) Scale: An exploratory study.

“…Thus, around late 90s, it was established that there was an “overwhelming” need of training (para 7); furthermore, empirical evidence showed that even certified rehabilitation counselors may have problems understanding and reporting IPV. Twenty years later, in a qualitative study, Ruiz-Pérez et al (2018) detailed almost similar patterns of lack in training. Service providers clearly stated, “We don’t have specific training” or “I don’t feel that I’m able to deal with that problem.…”

“…WWDs have been historically considered "asexual," and thus, sexual violence experienced by WWDs is rarely acknowledged, as gender is not even underscored as a critical component of abuse (Addlakha, Price, & Heidari, 2017;Aiello, 1986;Baladerian, 1991;Frantz et al, 2006;Nosek, Howland, & Young, 1997). WWDs face IPV for a longer period of time and in multiple domains-physical, sexual, emotional, and disability related (Hassouneh-Phillips & Curry, 2002;Healey, Humphreys, & Howe, 2013;Ruiz-Pérez et al, 2018). Nelson and Lund (2017) discussed the U.S. Women's Bureau (2015) report, and mentioned that frequently, WWDs end up in jobs where their pay is not equivalent to women without disabilities or men with disabilities.…”

“…This attitude may be connected to the lack of training, as the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP; 2016) standards do not require mandatory classes on IPV. So, the responsibility to search for relevant training, information, and resources is often on individual clinicians, who frequently try to “learn on the fly” when presented with a client in crisis (Ruiz-Pérez, Pastor-Moreno, Escribà-Agüir, & Maroto-Navarro, 2018). But, this is not a sustainable model, and it affects quality of services negatively.…”

Coping styles, dysfunctional schemes and psychopathological symptoms related to emotional dependence on the aggressor partner

“…Gender violence is one of the great challenges facing society today due to its high incidence and relevance (Fernández-González, Calvete, & Orue, 2017). It is also an important social and public health problem due to the negative physical and psychological consequences it has on the victim (Crane & Easton, 2017;Crombie, Hooker, & Reisenhofer, 2017;Ruiz-Pérez, Pastor-Moreno, Escribà-Agüir, & Maroto-Navarro, 2018). Partner violence increases in frequency and intensity over time as the relationship progresses (Del Castillo, Hernández, Romero, & Iglesias, 2015).…”

Effects of Physical Exercise on Women with Disabilities in South Korea: A Meta-Analysis

“…People living with disabilities (PWDs) are regarded as the largest minority in the world, and they need to be included in public health programs [ 1 ]. Moreover, women living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India or Indonesia face additional barriers, including low decision-making power, gender-based violence (GBV) and lack of economic independence [ 2 , 3 , 4 ].…”