Disabled women experience domestic violence and abuse (DVA) at greater rates (14.7%)
than disabled men (7.5%) and non-disabled women (6.0%) (ONS, 2020). While recognition
of the disproportionate incidence of DVA against disabled women has grown, existing
research tends to treat disabled women and women with chronic health conditions, such as
Multiple Sclerosis (MS), as a homogenous group. MS is a chronic condition that mostly
impacts women. It has a fluctuating and uncertain nature, with later disease progression and increased reliance on family members and partners. Thus, MS affects all aspects of a woman’s life, including her intimate relationships.
This research is the first to explore the DVA experiences of women with MS from an
interdisciplinary standpoint, allowing for the unique perspectives of sociological disability
studies and healthcare to be considered. The study employed a phenomenological qualitative approach which prioritises the voices of women with MS. Seven participants were recruited from one NHS Trust in England and participated in online and in-person in-depth semi-structured interviews and an online co-production workshop.
Drawing upon Evan Stark’s concept of coercive control and Carol Thomas’s theoretical
framing of disability, which emphasises the psycho-emotional dimensions of disablism, the
analysis demonstrates the pattern of DVA tactics employed and the cumulative impact of
disablism and DVA on the women’s MS and well-being. Additionally, this research
contributes further and new information to a growing body of literature on disabled victim-
survivors’ experiences of support, focusing on three help-giving sectors: the police,
healthcare, and specialist victim services. The research demonstrates the barriers the
participants faced, and the interactions and support deemed beneficial to their well-being and healing journey. The thesis findings lead to recommendations on practical and tangible ways to improve the support women with MS receive from these help-giving sectors, highlighting the need for holistic wrap-around support.
