Violence and reproductive health preceding flight from war : accounts from Somali born women in Sweden

Background: Political violence and war are push factors for migration and social determinants of health among migrants. Somali migration to Sweden has increased threefold since 2004, and now comprises refugees with more than 20 years of war experiences. Health is influenced by earlier life experiences with adverse sexual and reproductive health, violence, and mental distress being linked. Adverse pregnancy outcomes are reported among Somali born refugees in high-income countries. The aim of this study was to explore experiences and perceptions on war, violence, and reproductive health before migration among Somali born women in Sweden. Method: Qualitative semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 17 Somali born refugee women of fertile age living in Sweden. Thematic analysis was applied. Results: Before migration, widespread war-related violence in the community had created fear, separation, and interruption in daily life in Somalia, and power based restrictions limited access to reproductive health services. The lack of justice and support for women exposed to non-partner sexual violence or intimate partner violence reinforced the risk of shame, stigmatization, and silence. Social networks, stoicism, and faith constituted survival strategies in the context of war. Conclusions: Several factors reinforced non-disclosure of violence exposure among the Somali born women before migration. Therefore, violence-related illness might be overlooked in the health care system. Survival strategies shaped by war contain resources for resilience and enhancement of well-being and sexual and reproductive health and rights in receiving countries after migration.

Violence and reproductive health preceding flight from war : accounts from Somali born women in Sweden

Background: Political violence and war are push factors for migration and social determinants of health among migrants. Somali migration to Sweden has increased threefold since 2004, and now comprises refugees with more than 20 years of war experiences. Health is influenced by earlier life experiences with adverse sexual and reproductive health, violence, and mental distress being linked. Adverse pregnancy outcomes are reported among Somali born refugees in high-income countries. The aim of this study was to explore experiences and perceptions on war, violence, and reproductive health before migration among Somali born women in Sweden. Method: Qualitative semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 17 Somali born refugee women of fertile age living in Sweden. Thematic analysis was applied. Results: Before migration, widespread war-related violence in the community had created fear, separation, and interruption in daily life in Somalia, and power based restrictions limited access to reproductive health services. The lack of justice and support for women exposed to non-partner sexual violence or intimate partner violence reinforced the risk of shame, stigmatization, and silence. Social networks, stoicism, and faith constituted survival strategies in the context of war. Conclusions: Several factors reinforced non-disclosure of violence exposure among the Somali born women before migration. Therefore, violence-related illness might be overlooked in the health care system. Survival strategies shaped by war contain resources for resilience and

FRÅN HORA TILL HELGON : En litteraturstudie om tre forskares tolkningar och analyser av kvinnliga gestalter i urkunderna för judendom, kristendom och islam som normförmedlare

Arbetet är en litteraturstudie som undersöker hur forskare beskriver kvinnliga gestalter från religiösa urkunder och vilka normer dessa förmedlar. Syftet är att undersöka vilka normer som förmedlas och vilka gestaltningar som lyfts fram, samt att koppla dessa till läroplanens mål kring kön, identitet, sexualitet, socioekonomisk bakgrund, etnicitet, känsla av tillhörighet och mening med religionsvetenskapen. Examensarbetet är en innehållsanalys med kodning som metod för att komma närmare forskarnas tolkningar av kvinnans roll och förutsättningar inom judendomen, kristendomen och islam. Till examensarbetet står tre forskare i fokus som företräder tolkningar av urkunderna från respek-tive religion. Judendomen representeras av Carol Meyers (2013), Rediscovering Eve, ancient israelite women in context. Kristendomen av Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (1999), In memory of her. A feminist theological reconstruction of christian origin, samt islam av Asma Barlas (2002), Believing Women in Islam. Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur´an. Litteraturanalysen än indelad utifrån ämnesplansmålen där varje bok analyseras utifrån flera undergrupper för att sedan diskuteras. Fokus i analysen är på forskarnas tolkningar av ur-kunderna, inte av forskarnas utläggning av andra författare, arkeologer eller andra källor. I diskussionen jämförs resultatet från de olika kategorierna och kopplingarna med ämnesplanen med frågeställningarna för att få en bild av kvinnliga gestalter från religiösa urkunder samt vilka normer de förmedlar.

Women of Substance : The Aspect of Education, Career and Female Identity in Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary

Although two hundred years separate Jane Austen and Helen Fielding and, subsequently, also their portrayals of society, the similarities outweigh the differences. When juxtaposing Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary in the light of feminism it is evident that both books provide clear examples of the prevailing situation of women in each time and place. The aspects of the study, which are especially important today, show both the development and some degree of stagnation of women’s rights and identities.

Negotiating collective and individual agency : a qualitative study of young women's reproductive health in rural India

The societal changes in India and the available variety of reproductive health services call for evidence to inform health systems how to satisfy young women's reproductive health needs. Inspired by Foucault's power idiom and Bandura's agency framework, we explore young women's opportunities to practice reproductive agency in the context of collective social expectations. We carried out in-depth interviews with 19 young women in rural Rajasthan. Our findings highlight how changes in notions of agency across generations enable young women's reproductive intentions and desires, and call for effective means of reproductive control. However, the taboo around sex without the intention to reproduce made contraceptive use unfeasible. Instead, abortions were the preferred method for reproductive control. In conclusion, safe abortion is key, along with the need to address the taboo around sex to enable use of "modern" contraception. This approach could prevent unintended pregnancies and expand young women's agency.