Patterns of Intimate Partner Violence Against Afghan Women across Contexts: A Qualitative Framework Analysis

Background and Purpose: A growing body of evidence highlights the extent to which women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in contexts marked by political instability and humanitarian crises, such as Afghanistan. Yet, how IPV manifests when Afghans resettle as refugees in another country is not well understood, hampering efforts to provide effective services. The goal of this study was to advance knowledge of the drivers of IPV against women who fled Afghanistan during or since the 2021 evacuation and resettled in the U.S. The current analysis focused on discerning patterns of IPV in Afghanistan, in transit, and in the U.S.

Methods: The study received Institutional Review Board approval and adhered to ethical and safety standards for conducting IPV research with vulnerable populations. The International Rescue Committee and Women for Afghan Women guided and contributed to recruitment efforts of adult women who fled Afghanistan, had disclosed experiencing IPV, and had received supportive services. A purposive sample of 19 women gave their informed consent to participate in virtual or in-person semi-structured interviews with the Principal Investigator and a trained language interpreter. Interviews were recorded and professional transcribed. A framework analytical approach was used to discern patterns in women’s experiences across contexts.

Results: The analysis grouped cases (n=19) into four categories. (1) Four women married and lived with their spouses and in-laws in Afghanistan, evacuated with their spouses, and were still married to and living with their spouses in the U.S. Three women experienced a stop in spousal physical violence after arriving to the U.S., while other severe forms of abuse persisted. (2) Seven women married and lived with their spouses in Afghanistan, evacuated with their spouses, and since separated/divorced their spouses. Since arriving to the U.S., all continued to experience physical IPV, with most describing an escalation in severity, leading to system involvement and eventual separation. Women reported harassment and/or threats against them and their families by their in-laws, as retaliation. (3) Five women were engaged/married while in living Afghanistan, left Afghanistan alone, and joined their spouses for the first time in the U.S. In these cases, women simultaneously confronted joining their spouses and living in the U.S. for the first time. Two were forced into labor and/or sexual servitude upon arrival. Four women separated from their husbands, while the fifth remained with her spouse. (4) Three women married and lived with their spouses and in-laws in Afghanistan, and fled Afghanistan without their spouses via different pathways. They all continued to live with ongoing consequences and threats against them and their families, with severe impacts on children who remained in Afghanistan.

Conclusions and Implications: The analysis highlights the importance of understanding the ways in which IPV can persist, shift, and/or commence at the point of resettlement. Findings provide insights into how resettlement can mitigate some forms of violence, while escalating others. The findings can inform the design and testing of interventions that seek to reduce IPV in forcibly displaced populations, a notable gap in practice and research.