NURSES' ROLE IN FACILITATING HELP-SEEKING AMONG WOMEN EXPOSED TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE: ADDRESSING INDIVIDUAL, INTERPERSONAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS

Author Name: 1. Geeta Deshmukh 2. Dr. B. Y. Tippesh 3. Saranya S. 4. Tara Dubey 5. Smitha Sivan 6. Sharmila Kennedy 7. Dayana Shaji

Volume/Issue: 07/02

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/08.2026-81218387/UIJIR

Affiliation:

1. Demonstrator, Government College of Nursing, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India
2. Principal, ESIC College of Nursing, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
3. Associate Professor, Tanishq College of Nursing, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
4. Assistant Professor, L.N. Nursing College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
5. Lecturer, PP Savani University,Surat, Gujarat, India
6. Nursing Tutor, Holy Family Institute of Nursing Education, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
7. Nursing Tutor, Holy Family Institute of Nursing Education, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

ABSTRACT

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) remains one of the most pervasive public health and human rights concerns globally, affecting approximately one in three women during their lifetime. The physical, psychological, sexual, and economic consequences of IPV significantly compromise women's health and well-being. Healthcare settings often represent the first point of professional contact for survivors, positioning nurses as critical facilitators of early identification, intervention, and referral. Despite increasing awareness, multiple barriers continue to impede women's help-seeking behaviors, limiting access to timely and appropriate support. Objective: This review aims to synthesize current evidence regarding the multifaceted role of nurses in facilitating help-seeking among women exposed to IPV while examining individual, interpersonal, and institutional barriers that influence disclosure and service utilization. Methodology: A narrative review of literature published between 2019 and 2026 was conducted using electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and international guidelines focusing on nursing interventions, IPV screening, trauma-informed care, and help-seeking behaviors were included. Results: Evidence demonstrates that nurses play an essential role in IPV screening, risk assessment, safety planning, psychological support, documentation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and referral services. Women's help-seeking behaviors are influenced by complex interactions among personal beliefs, fear, social relationships, cultural norms, financial dependence, healthcare accessibility, institutional preparedness, and legal systems. Trauma-informed nursing care, culturally sensitive communication, standardized screening protocols, and organizational support significantly improve disclosure rates and patient outcomes. Conclusion: Strengthening nursing education, institutional policies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and trauma-informed healthcare systems can substantially reduce barriers to help-seeking among women experiencing IPV. Nurses remain central to promoting survivor-centered care, enhancing safety, and improving long-term physical and psychological outcomes

Key words: Intimate Partner Violence, Nurses, Help-Seeking Behavior, Women's Health, Trauma-Informed Care, Domestic Violence, Screening, Nursing Practice, Barriers, Survivor-Centered Care