title: 'They just walk away' - women's perception of being silenced by antenatal health workers: a qualitative study on women survivors of domestic violence in Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Domestic violence during pregnancy has detrimental effects on the health of the mother and the newborn. Antenatal care provides a 'window of opportunity' to identify and assist victims of domestic violence during pregnancy. Little is known about the experience, needs, and expectations from the women's perspective in relation to domestic violence in Nepal.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our study aims to explore how women who have experienced domestic violence evaluate their antenatal care and their expectations and needs from health centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve in-depth interviews were conducted among women who had experienced domestic violence during pregnancy and utilized antenatal care. The women were recruited from two different organizations in Nepal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women in our study concealed their experience of domestic violence due to fear of being insulted, discriminated, and negative attitudes of the health care providers. The women wished that the health care providers were compassionate and asked them about their experience, ensured confidentiality and privacy, and referred them to services that is free of cost.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings from our study may help the health care providers to change their attitudes toward women survivors of domestic violence. Identifying and assisting these women through antenatal care could result in improved services for them and their newborns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; poonam.rishal1@gmail.com; poonam.rishal@ntnu.no.
authors.forename: Poonam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rishal
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Sunil Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Mirjam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lukasse
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schei
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Swahnberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
keywords: abuse in health care; domestic violence; help seeking; qualitative research; quality of care