BACKGROUND: Informal and formal support for @entity1 experiencing @entity734 ( @entity734 ) can improve safety and health outcomes. There has been little qualitative work on the role of both pathways to support and @entity1 's experiences of disclosing their experience of @entity734 in different contexts. OBJECTIVE AND STUDY DESIGN: This qualitative study used repeat interviews with @entity1 survivors of @entity734 to explore their pathways to support and their experiences of barriers and facilitators to disclosure and help-seeking. SETTING AND @entity1 : Thirty-one @entity1 seeking help from specialist @entity734 agencies in the UK were interviewed twice over 5  months. RESULTS: @entity1 recounted long journeys of ambivalence, often only disclosing abuse after leaving the perpetrator. Access to specialist support rarely came via general practitioners, despite high levels of consulting for anxious and @entity308 feelings, and was more often facilitated by police or housing agencies following a crisis such as assault. Informal disclosure only led to specialist help if the family member or friend themselves had experience or knowledge of @entity734 . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: @entity1 experiencing @entity734 need earlier access to specialized @entity734 services. Many @entity1 needed an 'enabler' to facilitate access, but once this contact was made, disclosure to other professionals or to family and friends was legitimized in the eyes of the @entity1 . Safely accessible publicity about @entity734 services and an appropriate response from social and health-care professionals should be promoted, including support for @entity1 disclosing @entity734 to take action on the information they receive about services.

Help-seeking amongst XXXX survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'Women', 'PARTICIPANTS'] @entity308 :: ('MESH:D003866', 'Disease') :: ['depressed'] @entity734 :: ('MESH:D019966', 'Disease') :: ['DVA', 'domestic violence and abuse']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['women']
