NEWS Women with disabilities who are exposed to intimate partner violence are doubly affected – both by abuse and by the inadequacy of society's support system. This is shown in a new thesis at Umeå University with recommendations for structural changes.
Cartrine Anyango, doctoral student at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health. ImageMattias Pettersson
"Even if there is support, in practice it is not available to everyone. Coordination, inclusion and humanity are needed to build a 'bridge' from violence to safety, justice and dignity," says Cartrine Anyango.
a bridge from violence to safety
In her doctoral thesis in public health, Cartrine Anyango has interviewed eleven women with disabilities who have suffered from violence in close relationships, interviewed 18 professionals in support institutions, police, social services, health care and women's shelters and conducted a survey with 1,151 professionals in those institutions.
The interviewed women described how they had been exposed to several types of violence, both physical and psychological, sexual, digital and financial. It was also about actions directly linked to their disability, such as degrading comments or that help was withheld. It was not only a partner who was responsible for the violence, it could also come from family members, colleagues or assistants.
Psychological violence was particularly difficult, something that the women felt was often not taken seriously and which could continue even after a relationship ended, for example in the case of shared custody or financial dependence. The women felt unseen and misunderstood when they sought help for abuse.
Many of the providers stated that they had met women with disabilities who had been subjected to violence. But more than half did not indicate whether they routinely ask women with disabilities about violence. Where disability specific guidelines existed, they were often not followed.
"Despite the fact that Sweden is a relatively equal welfare country, society's support system can inadvertently exclude this group if their complex and doubly vulnerable situation is not taken into account," says Cartrine Anyango.
The thesis concludes that structural changes are needed. Psychological violence must be taken seriously, accessibility to support must be ensured, training of those working in support systems needs to take place and be designed in consultation with women who have experienced different types of violence.
Cartrine Anyango grew up in Nakuru, Kenya. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Maseno university in Kisumu, Kenya and a master’s degree in public health from Umeå University.
Friday 19 September at 9.00 a.m., Cartrine Anyango, Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, will defend her doctoral thesis A bridge to safety – for whom? Intimate partner violence and formal support for women with disabilities in Sweden. Principal supervisor Fredinah Namatovu.
