Community-Based Interventions for Vulnerable Women: a Case of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust

AbstractThis paper is based on a qualitative case study of the victimized women seeking help from a local office of the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust in Sylhet, Bangladesh. It attempts to unveil the reasons behind seeking help from this agency, its intervention strategies, and the actual outcome. Ten cases were studied through interviews with service recipients and agency personnel and analysis of case records. The Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust tries to solve the problem of domestic violence or family conflicts through mediation meetings involving community leaders and relatives of complainants and defendants, negotiation, discussion, and counseling. If it fails, the agency then helps a victim lodge a case in the court. Most of the service seekers are satisfied with its interventions. A strong community involvement makes it easier to reach a consensus. Conversely, some cases could not be resolved due to the noncooperation of husbands, relatives, and community leaders. The findings can be helpful for policy makers in devising community-based interventions to address domestic violence and family disorganization.
Source: Global Social Welfare - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research