{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T13:01:59Z","timestamp":1784034119156,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2015,2,4]],"date-time":"2015-02-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1423008000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Interpers Violence"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Widows are a vulnerable population in Nepal. This study examined Nepalese widows\u2019 experiences of violence, their coping strategies, and barriers faced in seeking help. Study participants were recruited from Women for Human Rights, an NGO in Nepal. A stratified purposive sampling approach was used to select 51 widows and 5 staff members for in-depth interviews. Twenty-seven women who experienced violence were included in this analysis. Data were analyzed and synthesized using a thematic analysis procedure. Widows reported a range of violent experiences perpetrated by family and community members that spanned psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. Women dealt with abusive experiences using both adaptive (e.g., attempting to move ahead, seeking social support, using verbal confrontation) and maladaptive coping strategies (e.g., suicidal thoughts or self-medication). However, they faced barriers to seeking help such as insensitivity of the police, perceived discrimination, and general lack of awareness of widows\u2019 problems and needs. Findings highlight the need for interventions across the individual, family, community, and policy levels. Avenues for intervention include creating awareness about widows\u2019 issues and addressing cultural beliefs affecting widows\u2019 lives. Furthermore, efforts should focus on empowering widows, promoting healthy coping, and addressing their individual needs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/0886260515569058","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,2,5]],"date-time":"2015-02-05T23:10:12Z","timestamp":1423177812000},"page":"1744-1766","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":29,"title":["Violence Against Widows in Nepal"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"31","author":[{"given":"Bushra","family":"Sabri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Community and Public Health Department, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shrutika","family":"Sabarwal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Public Health and Human Rights, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michele R.","family":"Decker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Public Health and Human Rights, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abina","family":"Shrestha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Women for Human Rights, Single Women Group, Kathmandu, Nepal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kunda","family":"Sharma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Women for Human Rights, Single Women Group, Kathmandu, Nepal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lily","family":"Thapa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Women for Human Rights, Single Women Group, Kathmandu, Nepal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pamela J.","family":"Surkan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Public Health and Human Rights, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,2,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-0886260515569058","unstructured":"Action Aid UK. (2014). Gender equality: The key to ending violence against women. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.gadnetwork.org\/storage\/csw\/Violence%20Against%20Women%20and%20Girls%20-%20Gender%20Equality.pdf"},{"key":"bibr2-0886260515569058","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3138\/ctr.148.38"},{"key":"bibr3-0886260515569058","volume-title":"Dangerous wives and sacred sisters: Social and symbolic roles of high-caste women in Nepal","author":"Bennett L.","year":"1983"},{"key":"bibr4-0886260515569058","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"bibr5-0886260515569058","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.32.7.513"},{"key":"bibr6-0886260515569058","first-page":"176","volume":"10","author":"Budhathoki N.","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of Nepal Health Research Council"},{"key":"bibr7-0886260515569058","first-page":"4729","volume":"40","author":"Coomaraswamy R.","year":"2005","journal-title":"Economic & Political Weekly"},{"key":"bibr8-0886260515569058","volume-title":"Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques","author":"Corbin J.","year":"1990"},{"key":"bibr9-0886260515569058","first-page":"63","volume":"32","author":"Dahal K. 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Retrieved from http:\/\/www.deathreference.com\/Vi-Z\/Widows-in-Third-World-Nations.html"},{"key":"bibr14-0886260515569058","volume-title":"Forbidden red: Widowhood in urban Nepal","author":"Galvin K.-L.","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr15-0886260515569058","volume-title":"The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research","author":"Glaser B.","year":"1967"},{"key":"bibr16-0886260515569058","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1077801298004003002"},{"key":"bibr17-0886260515569058","unstructured":"Houston K. T., Shrestha A., Kafle S., Singh S., Mullany L., Thapa L., Surkan P. J. (submitted manuscript). Social exclusion and health among Nepali widows."},{"key":"bibr18-0886260515569058","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.65.5.834"},{"key":"bibr19-0886260515569058","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Knox K. L. (2008). Epidemiology of the relationship between traumatic experience and suicide behaviors. PTSD Research Quarterly, 19(4). 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(2013). Global and regional estimates of violence against women: Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. 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