Gebrekirstos Lielt Gebreselassie
Department of Maternity and Reproductive Health Nursing, College of Health Sciences and Medicine, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Reprod Health. 2025 Aug 7;22(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s12978-025-02101-2.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health concern that disproportionately affects women with disabilities. While studies have identified factors associated with IPV, there is limited documentation on its impact among women with disabilities in Ethiopia. This gap hinders the development of targeted interventions. This study aimed to explore the impact of IPV on women with disabilities, focusing on the intersection of gender, disability, and reproductive health outcomes, as well as the responsiveness of services in Southern Ethiopia.
A community-based ethnographic qualitative study was conducted from January to September 2024 in Southern Ethiopia. Participants were selected using purposive sampling with a snowball approach and included women aged 16 years and older. Data were collected through twelve in-depth interviews from women with disabilities who had experienced IPV, as well as five key informant interviews with professionals who had direct engagement with issues related to IPV and disability. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted using Open Code software version 4.2.
All participants reported experiencing multiple and intersecting forms of IPV, often occurring over extended periods and involving emotional, physical, sexual, and disability-targeted abuse. Six main themes emerged: (1) history of multiple forms of violence by intimate partners (2), triggers of IPV, including societal stigma, perceived helplessness, and the intersection of gender and disability (3), disability-targeted violence (4), maternal and reproductive health consequences, such as self-managed abortion, miscarriage, malnutrition, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, and low birth weight (5), lack of legal responsiveness, including weak law enforcement and inadequate protection for victims, and (6) accessibility and responsiveness of maternal, reproductive health, and IPV-related services.
Women with disabilities in Southern Ethiopia face compounded risks of IPV, driven by stigma, gender inequality, and limited legal protection. IPV during pregnancy poses serious health risks for both mother and child. Inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health services further increases their vulnerability. Strengthening legal frameworks, improving service access, and training providers to recognize all forms of IPV are vital steps toward safeguarding their rights and well-being.
亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）是一个重大的公共卫生问题，对残疾女性的影响尤为严重。虽然已有研究确定了与亲密伴侣暴力相关的因素，但关于其在埃塞俄比亚残疾女性中的影响的文献却很有限。这一差距阻碍了针对性干预措施的制定。本研究旨在探讨亲密伴侣暴力对残疾女性的影响，重点关注性别、残疾和生殖健康结果的交叉点，以及埃塞俄比亚南部服务的响应能力。
2024年1月至9月在埃塞俄比亚南部开展了一项基于社区的人种志定性研究。采用目的抽样结合滚雪球法选取参与者，包括16岁及以上的女性。通过对12名经历过亲密伴侣暴力的残疾女性进行深入访谈，以及对5名直接参与亲密伴侣暴力和残疾相关问题的专业人士进行关键 informant 访谈来收集数据。使用Open Code软件4.2版本进行反思性主题分析。
所有参与者都报告经历了多种形式且相互交织的亲密伴侣暴力，这种暴力往往持续很长时间，包括情感、身体、性和针对残疾的虐待。出现了六个主要主题：（1）亲密伴侣的多种形式暴力史（2）亲密伴侣暴力的触发因素，包括社会耻辱感、感知到的无助感以及性别和残疾的交叉点（3）针对残疾的暴力（4）孕产妇和生殖健康后果，如自我管理堕胎、流产、营养不良、早产、宫内生长受限和低出生体重（5）法律响应不足，包括执法不力和对受害者保护不足，以及（6）孕产妇、生殖健康和亲密伴侣暴力相关服务的可及性和响应能力。
埃塞俄比亚南部的残疾女性面临着由耻辱感、性别不平等和有限的法律保护导致的亲密伴侣暴力复合风险。孕期的亲密伴侣暴力对母婴都构成严重健康风险。获得性健康和生殖健康服务不足进一步增加了她们的脆弱性。加强法律框架、改善服务可及性以及培训服务提供者认识所有形式的亲密伴侣暴力是保障她们权利和福祉的关键步骤。
