Factors associated with severity of intimate partner abuse in Mexico: results of the first National Survey of Violence Against Women

Determinants of Emotional Intimate Partner Violence against Women and Girls with Children in Mexican Households: An Ecological Framework

The purpose of this paper is to identify the risk factors for emotional intimate partner violence (IPV) against women and girls with children in Mexico from an ecological perspective. To that end, we generate a dataset with 35,004 observations and 42 covariates, to which we apply an additive probit model estimated with a boosting algorithm to overcome high-dimensionality and simultaneously perform variable selection and model choice. The dataset integrates 10 information sources, allowing us to properly characterize the four levels of the ecological approach, which is the first contribution of this paper. In addition, there are three key contributions. First, we identify a number of factors significantly linked to emotional IPV against women with children: age, age at sexual initiation, age at marriage (or cohabitation), autonomy regarding professional issues, social support networks, division of housework, the community's Gini index, women's economic participation in the municipality, and the prevalence of crime against males in the region. Second, we discuss some risk factors whose effects have not been examined or have been underexplored for Mexico; these include women's decision-making autonomy, social support networks, distribution of housework, the community's economic inequality, and criminality. Third, we identify specific risk subgroups that are generally overlooked: women who had their first sexual intercourse during childhood and women who got married (or moved in together with a partner) late in life. The main results suggest that strategies aiming to promote women's social and economic empowerment and reduce criminality should also incorporate a gender component regarding emotional violence against women with children in the context of intimate relationships.

Association between dating violence and personality type in Mexican university students

Violence against women is a global health problem. Some pathological personality traits have been associated with violence. However, the relation between personality type and dating violence, especially in Mexican students, is not fully known. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between personality type and dating violence in female university students of the State of Mexico, Mexico. Cross-sectional study conducted from February to September 2019 at a private university in the State of Mexico, Mexico. Female students of the bachelor’s degrees in the field of health sciences were included. Socio-demographic data, dating violence, and personality type were evaluated through questionnaires. Adjusted logistic regression models were applied, using STATA v.13. Students with an extroverted personality were 2.45 more likely to suffer dating violence (95% CI 1.29 to 4.63), adjusted for covariates. Those who reported childhood abuse (OR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.08 to 5.01) and whom their partners had a history of drug use (OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.17 to 6.60) or who currently use drugs (OR = 4.85, 95% CI 0.92 to 25.7), were more likely to suffer dating violence, adjusted for covariates. Students with extroverted personality were more likely to experience dating violence, compared to those with introverted personality. The results show the need to produce further research to identify specific traits within extroverted female population which makes them vulnerable to dating violence.

[Effective coverage to manage domestic violence against women in Mexican municipalities: limits of metrics]

The study estimated the effective coverage of health services in primary care for the management of domestic violence against women in three municipalities in Mexico. We estimated the prevalence and severity of violence using a validated scale, and the effective coverage proposed by Shengelia and partners with any modifications. Quality care was considered when there was a suggestion to report it to authorities. The use and quality of care was low in the three municipalities analyzed, used most frequently when there was sexual or physical violence. Effective coverage was 29.41%, 16.67% and zero in Guachochi, Jojutla and Tizimín, respectively. The effective coverage indicator had difficulties in measuring events and responses that were not based on biomedical models. Findings suggest that the indicator can be improved by incorporating other dimensions of quality.

Prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence in women living in eight indigenous regions of Mexico

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) in eight indigenous regions of Mexico, as well as the socioeconomic and demographic variables that are associated with this phenomenon. A cross-sectional study was conducted in indigenous regions that have a greater availability of government medical services than other indigenous regions. Interviews were conducted with female patients (n = 3287) seeking medical care in either of the two public health institutions in these regions. The severity of intimate partner violence (SIPV) during the previous 12 months was measured using a 33-item scale. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the factors associated with SIPV. Intimate partner violence prevalence was 25.5% (95%CI 24.93-25.26). Female partner variables such as personal history of child abuse (ORA 3.48; 95%CI 2.48-4.89) and work outside the home (ORA 1.74; 95%CI 1.22-2.49) and male partner variables such as unemployment (ORA 2.31; 95%CI 1.34-3.97) and a high frequency of alcohol use (ORA 13.35; 95%CI 7.02-25.39) were the main predictors for IPV. We found a three-fold higher risk of IPV for women living in the Los Altos de Chiapas region (ORA 3.01; 95%CI 1.88-4.79) compared with women in the Mayan region (reference category). Such results should aid decision makers in the development of extended public policies and interventions to address violence against women in the indigenous populations of Mexico.

Predictors of being unsafe: participation in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2006 intimate partner violence module

A common reason for not participating in intimate partner violence (IPV) research is thought to be fear for one's safety. However, little is known about those who do not participate due to safety fears. To better characterize this population, we investigated correlates of being "not safe" to answer the optional IPV module in the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), a yearly cross-sectional telephone survey in the United States. We compared those who said they were not safe to complete the module with those who were safe and reported (+IPV) or denied (-IPV) IPV. Forward stepwise multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify significant correlates of being not-safe. Those who said they were not safe to answer IPV questions were found to have lower income, lower education levels, and were older than either +IPV or -IPV respondents. They were also more likely to be male than the +IPV group. The not-safe differ from those traditionally identified as being at greatest risk for IPV. However, the percentage of IPV victims in the not-safe group remains unknown. Greater efforts should be made to include this group in future IPV research, both to determine these groups' true IPV risk and to avoid missing potential IPV victims. The validity, reliability, and comprehensibility of safety questions should also be assessed.

Social determinants and health effects of low and high severity intimate partner violence

PURPOSE

We sought to analyze whether the sociodemographic profile of battered women varies according to the level of severity of intimate partner violence (IPV), and to identify possible associations between IPV and different health problems taking into account the severity of these acts.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 8,974 women (18-70 years) attending primary healthcare centers in Spain (2006-2007) was performed. A compound index was calculated based on frequency, types (physical, psychological, or both), and duration of IPV. Descriptive and multivariate procedures using logistic regression models were fitted.

RESULTS

Women affected by low severity IPV and those affected by high severity IPV were found to have a similar sociodemographic profile. However, divorced women (odds ratio [OR], 8.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.2-20.3), those without tangible support (OR, 6.6; 95% CI, 3.3-13.2), and retired women (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2-6.0) were more likely to report high severity IPV. Women experiencing high severity IPV were also more likely to suffer from poor health than were those who experienced low severity IPV.

CONCLUSIONS

The distribution of low and high severity IPV seems to be influenced by the social characteristics of the women involved and may be an important indicator for estimating health effects. This evidence may contribute to the design of more effective interventions.