Access to support services in prenatal and postnatal care settings for women facing domestic violence in rural India.

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) significantly impacts women's access to prenatal and postnatal care in rural India. This qualitative study explored the multi-level challenges healthcare providers face in supporting women experiencing DV. Between 2021 and 2022, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants, including clinical staff, healthcare program managers, and community health promoters involved in maternal and child health initiatives. Findings highlighted barriers across systemic, community, facility, family, and individual levels, including staff shortages, limited resources, privacy constraints, community resistance, restrictive family dynamics, and survivors' reluctance to disclose abuse due to socio-cultural norms and lack of awareness of support services. The results emphasize the need for targeted provider training, strengthened referral networks, and community awareness initiatives to improve DV identification, support, and referral in rural healthcare settings.