Gender-based violence - any act of
physical, sexual, and/or psychological violence towards a woman or girl - is a major public health and human rights
issue. Statistics reveal that 1 in 3 women experience some form of physical or
sexual violence, often by an intimate partner (U.N. Women, 2016). Although
organizations and women’s centers dedicated to gender equality and violence
prevention have been established for women around the world, mental health
treatment for violence survivors remains a vital concern across the globe. Mental health treatment is often
stigmatized due to societal, cultural, and/or religious factors. Female
survivors of violence are typically blamed for causing and continuing their
perpetrator's abuse (Roodman & Clum, 2001). Nevertheless, abuse victims
usually remain in abusive relationships due to the societal and/or economic
barriers placed upon their gender (U.N. Women, 2016). When surviving abuse -
physical scars may heal - however the
psychological consequences are serious as thoughts, emotions, and
behaviors are influenced.
This research project investigates
the psycho-social effects of interpersonal and gender based violence, mental
health treatment for female violence survivors, and the social context
affecting mental health and treatment for violence survivors.