Therapy for Gender-Based Violence Survivors
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is violence unleashed just because to someone is a boy, girl, man, or woman. Rooted in unequal power between genders, it's considered a really important global health issue by groups like the World Health Organization (WHO).
One of the most common types of GBV is domestic violence (DV), which happens within families or relationships. Anyone can be a victim of gender-based violence, but it disproportionately affects women and girls. Therefore, it’s observed more commonly that women seek a psychologist for domestic violence survivors in India.
How Gender Violence Impacts Survivors?
Violence has a severe impact on a person's mental health. Mental health isn't just about feeling happy; it's about how you think, feel, and handle life. Violence based on gender can really shake someone up from inside.
Mental Health Impact
Violence, especially domestic violence, can lead to many difficult feelings and problems with thinking and feeling, like trouble sleeping, feeling really anxious or worried, feeling sad or depressed, having panic attacks, or even having something called PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
PTSD Symptoms
PTSD can mean having nightmares or flashbacks about what happened, feeling constantly on edge, or avoiding things that remind you of the violence. Women who have experienced violence are much more likely than men to have these kinds of mental health challenges.
Important fact: Half of women who experience violence also have had a mental health diagnosis. The risk of experiencing depression, PTSD, substance use issues, or even thinking about suicide is much higher for women who have faced violence.
How Therapists Help Survivors?
GBV is a major cause of distress and psychological problems. Therapy helps people understand and cope with these difficult feelings and experiences caused by the violence.
It's a space where someone can talk about what happened without being judged, and learn ways to heal and feel safer and stronger. The goal of therapy is to help survivors work through the impacts of the trauma, improve their mental well-being, and support their healing and personal growth.
Counselling Support
Many places offer counselling or psychological support, where you talk one-on-one with a trained person or sometimes in a group with others who have similar experiences. A key part of this is "listening without judgment", showing you understand how they feel (empathy), and letting them know their feelings are normal (validation).
Trauma-Informed Care
This means the counsellors and staff helping you have been trained to understand how trauma affects people. They know that experiences of violence can impact how someone feels and behaves, and they make sure the environment feels safe and supportive. They focus on helping you feel safe and in control.
Types of Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) / Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT)
In this type of therapy, people look at the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and actions. For survivors of violence, it can help challenge negative thoughts like blaming themselves for what happened, or feeling shame or intense fear. TF-CBT is a version often used with young people and their caregivers, guiding them through understanding trauma, learning coping skills, and safely processing memories of the event.
Narrative Therapy
This approach sees people as separate from their problems. It works like a partnership, helping someone tell their story in a way that highlights their strengths and allows them to see new possibilities for their future, rather than letting the problem define them. One study showed it was effective for women who had experienced domestic violence.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
As the name suggests, this therapy focuses on solutions instead of dwelling on the problems or the past. It helps people identify what they want their future to look like and build on the skills and strengths they already have to reach those goals.
Feminist Counselling
This approach understands that GBV is often connected to larger societal issues of unequal power between genders. It helps survivors recognize this is not their fault and empowers them by focusing on their rights and strength.
Cultural Complications
In a country like India, understanding the cultural context becomes important. Domestic violence is a big issue in India, often involving violence from husbands and relatives in the home.
Cultural Barriers
Cultural beliefs about gender roles, family privacy, and expectations can make things complicated. Sometimes, people believe violence is justified if a woman doesn't follow traditional rules.
Family Dynamics
There can be pressure to keep family problems private to protect the family's reputation. Because family is so important in Indian culture, women might first turn to informal support from relatives.
Therapists working in India need to be culturally sensitive and understand these complexities. Leaving aside judgments or stereotypes of people based on their cultural background can really go a long way. They might need to work with the family system, recognizing that families can be both a source of support and conflict.
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Vicarious Trauma
It's also important to take care of the people who are giving the help. Hearing stories of trauma can be emotionally difficult for counsellors and staff. This can lead to something called vicarious trauma, where they experience negative effects from being exposed to the suffering of others.
Our Approach at Greh Pravesh
Taking care of both the survivor and the helper is part of a complete approach to dealing with the impacts of GBV. At Greh Pravesh, our therapists support each other and collaborate so they don't have to deal with it in isolation (always with your privacy in mind).
Building Resilience
It is important for helpers to receive support, training, and opportunities to talk about their experiences. They can also experience vicarious resilience, which is the positive feeling and strength they gain from witnessing the healing and resilience of the survivors they help.
This support needs to be sensitive to cultural factors, especially in places like India, and provided by well-trained and supported professionals. Seeking help is a sign of courage and strength, not weakness.
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Your Journey, Your Strength
Every survivor's experience is unique. We're here to provide compassionate, non-judgmental support that honors your individual path to healing and empowerment.