“Struggles and Falling Between the Cracks”: Experiences of Women With Disabilities on Using Intimate Partner Violence Services

Women with disabilities are at increased risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet their experiences of using IPV services are rarely studied. This qualitative study explored the experiences of 11 women with disabilities. Three themes were identified: "violence and disability-the continuums of stigma" describing the forms of stigma that women experienced that impacted the use of IPV services; "the dual nature of social relationships" summarizing aspects of interpersonal relations that influenced the use of services; and "to fall between the cracks" detailing institutional gaps that led to hesitation in using IPV services. These findings point at a need for increased effort to reduce stigma, capacity strengthening on disability-related issues and targeted resources to improve access to IPV services among women with disabilities.