Prioritizing Barriers to Help-Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence

Objective: This study aimed to identify and prioritize the psychological, social, economic, structural, interpersonal, and informational barriers that prevent women from seeking help in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV). Methods and Materials: The research was conducted in two phases. The first phase adopted a qualitative design, employing a systematic literature review of studies published between 2000 and 2025 to identify recurring themes related to help-seeking barriers for IPV survivors. Data were analyzed using NVivo 14 software until theoretical saturation was achieved, leading to six main categories: psychological, social and cultural, economic, structural and institutional, interpersonal and relational, and informational and awareness barriers. In the second quantitative phase, a structured questionnaire derived from these themes was distributed to 216 women in South Africa who had experienced or witnessed IPV. Responses were analyzed using SPSS version 26, with mean scores and ranking analysis applied to prioritize the identified barriers. Findings: Results showed that psychological barriers ranked as the most significant deterrent to help-seeking (mean = 4.61, SD = 0.42), followed by social and cultural barriers (mean = 4.47, SD = 0.48) and economic barriers (mean = 4.29, SD = 0.51). Structural and institutional barriers ranked fourth (mean = 4.16, SD = 0.57), while interpersonal and relational barriers (mean = 3.98, SD = 0.62) and informational and awareness barriers (mean = 3.75, SD = 0.65) were of relatively lower but still notable importance. The hierarchical ranking highlights the interplay between internalized emotions, sociocultural pressures, and systemic inadequacies in shaping help-seeking behaviors. Conclusion: The study underscores the primacy of psychological and cultural factors in deterring help-seeking among IPV survivors. Effective interventions should therefore combine trauma-informed psychological support, cultural awareness training, and systemic reforms to enhance accessibility, trust, and empowerment within survivor-centered service frameworks.