Developing a mental health support package for women survivors of domestic violence and modern slavery in South Asia: a multiple methods design

This research report outlines the development of a contextually adapted mental health support package designed for women survivors of domestic violence and modern slavery in South Asia, specifically focusing on Afghanistan, India, and Sri Lanka. The project was born from the recognition that while survivors in these regions face significant mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, their advocates often lack the evidence-based tools necessary to provide psychological support.

The primary goal was to create a modular intervention package that non-specialist providers, such as caseworkers and community volunteers, could use to integrate mental health care into their existing social and legal support services. The development process utilized a multi-method, transdisciplinary approach involving researchers, clinicians, and survivors across several countries. The team conducted extensive literature reviews and situation analyses to understand the burden of violence and the existing policy landscapes. They gathered qualitative data through interviews and focus group discussions with survivors and service providers to identify specific needs and barriers to care. This research highlighted that survivors often prioritize immediate physical and legal needs over mental health, and that significant social stigma often prevents them from seeking formal psychological help.

The resulting support package is built around a "survivor journey" framework, which views recovery as a non-linear process involving physical, emotional, and social changes. It includes a core set of modules covering essential areas such as safety assessment, response to basic needs, trauma-informed counseling principles, and psychological first aid. The package also provides tools for mental health assessment, distress reduction techniques, and suicide prevention. To ensure the content was relevant to local realities, the team developed four adapted versions of the manual, including online resources and training guides tailored to the specific cultural and institutional contexts of the participating South Asian nations.

Feasibility testing and piloting of the package, particularly through community-based and online programs in India, demonstrated that the intervention is both acceptable and useful for non-specialist workers. Caseworkers reported that the structured approach helped them move beyond just providing practical assistance to effectively addressing survivors’ emotional struggles, such as guilt, anger, and fear. Survivors who participated in the pilot programs noted improvements in their interpersonal communication and emotional regulation, although some faced external barriers to completing the full course of support.

Ultimately, the report emphasizes the importance of task-shifting—training non-specialists to deliver mental health care—due to the severe shortage of professional mental health experts in the region. The authors recommend that policy-makers integrate these trauma-responsive mental health tools into standard social care and justice systems. By bridging the gap between academic research and lived experience, the project provides a practical roadmap for improving the holistic well-being of women who have experienced extreme exploitation and violence.