Citation

Childress S. Violence Against Women 2018; 24(7): 775-797.

Affiliation

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801217722239

PMID

29332501

Abstract

This article develops a grounded theory of help-seeking to investigate the social and cultural determinants of help-seeking among Kyrgyz women who have experienced domestic violence.

RESULTS indicate that cultural traditions and social norms-most notably the social construction of marriage, the shame associated with divorce, and the status of daughters-in-law in Kyrgyz society-are used to justify domestic violence and prevent victims from seeking help. The proposed theory and results suggest that scholars, policymakers, and front-line contacts must emphasize dispelling myths, misconceptions, and traditional beliefs about gender and marriage to break the abusive dynamics and provide professional help.

Language: en

Keywords

Central Asia; Kyrgyzstan; domestic violence; gender-based violence; help-seeking