Background
The relationship between violence against women and disability is complex, and our understanding of the experience of both needs to be understood in the context of service complexity and the visibility of women with disability. Women with disability who experience violence are at risk of ‘falling through the gaps’ in health services where disability literacy can be low and responses to violence are rarely optimal. This research seeks to understand the healthcare journeys of women with disability who experienced violence, and their perceptions of how well that met their needs.
Methods
This research uses a patient journey-mapping methodology based on Participatory Action Research that was adapted by the research team for using with people with disability. Journey mapping tools and in-depth interviews are used to explore participants’ lived experience of healthcare during and/or after violence and create a map that represents their journey through the healthcare system.
Findings
Data from participants to date indicates they interacted with the healthcare system often during the time of violence, though many touchpoints were short-term and lacked consistency. Most healthcare interactions were not due to the violence, but the timing and location was affected by the violence and safety concerns. Practitioners rarely asked questions about the violence, and when they did disclose, many participants were not believed or were blamed for the violence. Participants’ disabilities were often minimised by practitioners, and healthcare structures and systems were often difficult to access.
Conclusions
Women with disability often access healthcare during times of violence, but healthcare is not sufficiently identifying the violence, responding appropriately to the violence, or meeting their access and inclusion needs. The intersection of disability and violence increases the barriers that women with disability face, and the health sector is still ill-equipped to deal with this complexity.