PREVALENCE OF DOMSETIC VIOLENCE AGAINST MARRIED WOMEN IN BAGHDAD
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Abstract
Introduction: Domestic violence (DV) is the range of sexually, psychologically and physically coercive acts used against adult and adolescent women by current male intimate partners. It includes 6 types: physical, psychological, controlling behaviour, sexual, economic, & verbal. Aim: To estimate prevalence of DV in Baghdad and identify some related factors. Methods: A cross sectional study done in Baghdad by selecting the married women who attended health center and asked about personal, socio-demographic characteristics and possible exposure to DV, which was determined and classified into: no (if score= 0-7), mild (8-14), or severe (15-29). Results: The number of participants was 211. 63.5% of them were not facing a DV, 25.1% had a mild type and 11.4% had a severe DV. The main age of the women was 20-29 years, while that of husbands was 30-39 years. 94.3% of women had children (of them 53.7% had 1-2 children). 59.2% get married for 1-10 years duration. 85.8% of the husbands were not previously divorced and 94.8% had only 1 wife. 96.2% of the women had no previous divorce. 50.2% of women and 47.4% of husbands were graduated from a university. 56.9% of women and 51.7% of husbands had a governmental job. 94.8% and 91.9% of husbands did not take calming drugs or alcohol respectively. 77.3% of women thought it’s important to constitute and apply special women-protecting laws. Conclusions: (1) The DV prevalence in Baghdad was 36.5%; about quarter had a mild form and smaller percent had a severe form. (2) Factors appeared to have a significant association with DV: age of wife and husband, previous husband divorce, husband multi marriage, wife and husband education, wife job, taking calming drugs or alcohol by husband, and the opinion of wife about importance of women- protecting laws. Recommendations: (1) Iraqi health institutions should establish and encourage women care centers for management of victims. (2) A new law against DV should be adopted by Iraqi parliament and applied properly. (3) Encourage Iraqi media to spotlight on DV.
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References
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