Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India are well positioned to interpret how women from Delhi slums are defining and addressing intimate partner violence in their communities. This study was designed to reveal factors necessary to achieve individual and community empowerment through community health worker (CHW) initiatives. Using an empowerment framework, it focuses on a NGO’s intervention and advocacy strategy within four slum localities. In addition to training police, and managing individual cases, CHWs participate and provide guidance in local all-women courts to resolve domestic violence disputes. Over a five month period data were collected through in-depth interviews on 31 CHWs, ethnographic observations of 16 women’s court hearings, and 18 counseling encounters. Observations were documented by two investigators, expanded and transcribed within 24 hours. Interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim and analyzed using text retrieval software and matrix analysis. Results confirmed that empowerment was enhanced by strengthening both the individual and group capacities represented by the NGO. The data provides a rich description of the context within which violence takes place. Moreover, it reveals the strength of indigenous forms of CHW-run interventions for designing empowerment strategies to prevent and intervene in families and communities where domestic violence is an accepted norm.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the five items necessary for individual and community empowerment to take place. 2. Describe the difference between individual- and community-level empowerment. 3. Discuss how community health workers built local capacity to prevent domestic violence through a local NGO.
Keywords: Domestic Violence, Community Participation
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.