Intimate partner violence : lived experiences of women survivors from the Gulu gender-based violence shelter, Northern Uganda

Abstract

The study investigated the lived experiences of women survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the Layibi community of Gulu District, Northern Uganda, focusing on the mental health effects of IPV, women survivors’ coping strategies, and their preferred mental health care needs. Using qualitative data from women who previously stayed at the Gulu Gender Based Violence (GBV) shelter, the research examined how the post-conflict legacy of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency and the COVID-19 lockdown have intensified IPV in this context. Findings revealed that disrupted family structures, altered gender roles, and weakened community protection systems increased women’s vulnerability to multiple forms of IPV including physical, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse; often occurring simultaneously. Some survivors normalized controlling behaviors as ‘love,’ complicating their recognition of abuse. The mental health consequences include depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse, which often overlap and hinder recovery. Survivors used both emotion and problem-focused coping strategies, including prayer, journaling, seeking shelter, and social support. However, limited shelter capacity, social stigma, and weak legal and healthcare systems posed significant barriers to accessing support. The study highlighted the need for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed mental health services, as well as long-term, holistic interventions such as support groups and art therapy. Policy recommendations emphasize increased funding, specialized training for law enforcement and healthcare providers; and multi-sectoral collaboration to enhance services for IPV survivors. This research contributes new insights into how post-conflict fragility and pandemic challenges intersect to shape IPV experiences in Layibi, Northern Uganda and calls for survivor-centered, context-specific interventions to improve mental health outcomes.