Researching Violence Against Women - PDF document

Researching Violence Against Women Researching Violence Against WomenMary Ellsberg Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5AS A HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8The patterning of intimate partner violenceThe effects of violence on womens healthExplaining gender-based violenceChallenges for international research on gender-based violenceCHAPTER TWO: ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR RESEARCHING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN . . . . . . . . . . . .34Minimizing harm to respondents and research staff CHAPTER THREE: DEVELOPING A RESEARCH STRATEGY . . . . .48Different types of researchFormulating your research questionsCHAPTER FOUR: QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES TO RESEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists effort, as can be seen by the extensive listously contributed their time and energy toWe are especially indebted to ElizabethShrader, who drafted an early version ofhelped inform the early work of theInternational Research Network onViolence Against Women (IRNVAW). We are therefore indebted to CHANGEand the current Executive Director, Jodiing its initial stages. We also wish to acknowledge the indi-vidual participants of IRNVAW whoseefforts and critical reflections form the basisParticipants in IRNVAW meetings whoseAdair, USA; Zeinab Abdi Ahmed, Kenya; Bhuyan, India; Rebecca Calder, Lesotho;Jacquelyn C. Campbell, USA; Cheng Yimin,Goodwin, USA; Lorelei Goodyear, USA;Yahia, Israel; Penn Handwerker, USA;Wanda M. Hunter, USA; Susan Igras, USA;Surinder K.P. Jaswal, India; Carol Jenkins,South Africa; Sunita Kishor, USA; MarySuzanne Maman, USA; Lorna Martin, SouthAfrica; Donna McCarraher, USA; LoriMichau, Tanzania/USA; Claudia GarciaMorrison, USA; Caroline Moser, USA;Mthethwa, Swaziland; Bernadette Muthien;Shenaaz Nair, South Africa; DorothyNairne, South Africa; Mavis Ndlovu, Acknowledgements A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists Health, Sao Paulo; Carmen Simone GriloPernambuco; Ana Bernarda Ludermir,Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife.Yemane Berhane, Addis AbabaUniversity, Addis Ababa; Ulf Högberg,University, Umeå, Sweden; YegomaworkAbaba; Mary Ellsberg, PATH, Washington,Mieko Yoshihama, University ofMichigan, Ann Arbor, USA; Saori Kamano,Security Research, Tokyo; Tamie Kaino,Ochanomizu University, Tokyo; FumiHayashi, Toyo Eiwa Womens University,Tokyo; Hiroko Akiyama, University ofTokyo, Tokyo; Tomoko Yunomae, JapanHealth and Social Services, Windhoek;Social Services, Windhoek; Johan Van Wyk,Windhoek; Alves Weerasinghe, NationalPlanning Commission, Windhoek.Mujer Peruana Flora Tristan, Lima; Nancy Tina Tauasosi-Posiulai, Tima Levai-Serbia and Montenegro: Otasevic, Autonomous Womens Center,Womens Center, Belgrade; KatarinaBogavac, Autonomous Womens Center,Marketing, Belgrade; Viktorija Cucic,Churnrurtai Kanchanachitra,Bangkok; Wassana Im-em, MahidolFoundation for Women, Bangkok. United Republic of Tanzania:Durham, USA; Sherbanu Kassim, UniversitySwitzerland; Irma Saucedo Gonzalez, ElPretoria, South Africa; Ivy Josiah, WomensAID Organisation, Selangor, Malaysia; OlavHygiene and Tropical Medicine, London,Science and Technology, Trondheim,Norway; Stig Wall, Umeå University, Umeå, A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists thy of international attention or concern.Victims of violence suffered in silence,as womens groups organized locally andinternationally to demand attention to theabuse of women. Gradually, violenceNow that international attention isfocused on gender-based violence,needed to guide the formulation andimplementation of effective interventions,exploratory studies performed on nonrep-of wife abuse, rape, trafficking, incest, andother manifestations of gender-based vio- international data on physical and sexualthese challenges. We hope that the man-International Research Network onViolence Against Women (IRNVAW), an adon methodology and research ethics organ-and Gender Equity. To date the IRNVAWhas sponsored four international meetingswith the World Health Organizationhealth and domestic violence. Many of theIRNVAW members, as well as the WHOMulti-country Study on Womens Healthand Domestic Violence, a household sur- Introduction A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists would contribute to diminishing the suffering of future generations of women from