Out of the shadows: Violence against girls and women with disabilities in Portugal

Gender-Based Violence and Associated Factors Among Women with Disabilities in Jimma Town, Ethiopia

Background

Globally, women with disabilities have two times higher chance of suffering from violence compared to their non-disabled peers due to double discrimination. However, there is little evidence that quantifies the situation in this segment of the population by considering disability-related factors which make this group more vulnerable to gender-based violence in Ethiopia.

Objective

To assess the prevalence of gender-based violence and its associated factors among women with disabilities in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia, 2020.

Methods

A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 308 women with disabilities. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify factors associated with gender-based violence. The significance of the association was decided by using the 95% confidence interval of AOR at a p-value of <0.05 in the multivariable analysis.

Results

The lifetime prevalence of gender-based violence among women with disabilities was found to be 73.1, while 46.1% had experienced it during the last 12 months. Gender-based violence in the past 12 months was significantly associated with non-schooling (AOR=5.10; 95% CI, 1.51, 17.14), being in age group of 20–34 (AOR=3.5; 95% CI, 1.74, 7.30), having visual impairment (AOR=3.1; 95% CI, 1.27, 7.54), having hearing impairment (AOR=3.0; 95% CI, 1.36, 6.89), alcohol use behavior (AOR=4.1; 95% CI, 1.74, 9.55), and perceived stigma and discrimination (AOR=4.2; 95% CI, 2.44, 7.39).

Conclusion

Prevalence of gender-based violence among women with disabilities was found to be high in the study area. Educational status, age, type of disability, alcohol use behavior, and perceived stigma and discrimination were independent predictors of gender-based violence. Measures have to be taken to curb the problem by taking integrated interventions like enrolling girls in school and targeted health education towards identified factors by considering the heterogeneity of disabilities.

Perceived neighborhood safety and exercise behavior among community dwellers in Gauteng, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Maintaining a physically active life is an important determinant of overall health and psychosocial wellbeing among adults. Physical exercise behavior can be influenced by various social and environmental circumstances including neighborhood safety. Using data from South Africa Quality of life Survey 2015/16, this study aimed to assess the hypothesis that lack of perceived neighborhood safety (PNS) can reduce the likelihood of engaging in physical exercise (PE). The participants were 30,002 men and women aged 18 years and above. The association between self-reported PE behavior and neighborhood safety were assessed by multivariable regression method while adjusting for potentially confounding factors. Less than a quarter (23.41%) of the participants reported taking exercise on daily basis whereas 27.90% reported never taking any. Respectively 6.0% and 38.1% of the participants reported feeling very unsafe walking in the neighborhood during day and night. In regression analysis, both the pooled and stratified models indicated that lack of PNS was inversely associated with regular PE. Lack of PNS (bit unsafe) during day was associated with lower odds of PE both among men (OR = 0.776, P < .001) and women (OR = 0.874, P < .001). The negative association between lack of PNS and PE during day was significant among those living with disability (OR = 0.758, P < .001). Further analysis showed that the negative association between lack of PNS with regular PE during day was significant in Johannesburg (OR = 0.800, P < .001), Tshwane (OR = 0.735, P < .001) and Emfuleni (OR = 0.619, P < .001) only, while that during night was significant in Johannesburg (OR = 0.737, P < .001), Ekurhuleni (OR = 0.673, P < .001), Emfuleni (OR = 0.418, P < .001), Lesedi (OR = 0.385, P < .001), Mogale City (OR = 0.693, P < .001), and Randfontein (OR = 0.565, P < .001). Overall, the findings highlight a significantly inverse association between lack of PNS and PE behavior. In light of the current findings, it is recommended that PE promotion programs pay special attention on population living in the neighborhoods fraught with crime concerns.

Posibilidades de la investigación documental para el análisis interseccional de las políticas de igualdad

En este artículo se abordan las posibilidades de la investigación documental para el análisis interseccional de las políticas de igualdad de género. Para ello, se plantea un análisis de los planes estratégicos de igualdad, vigentes en 2019 (o más recientes), desarrollados en España a nivel estatal y autonómico. Se examinan dos cuestiones centrales: 1) el reconocimiento de la interseccionalidad y de las desigualdades múltiples; y 2) la atención a grupos situados en posiciones múltiples de desigualdad. Los resultados muestran una incorporación muy limitada del marco interseccional en los planes de igualdad de género, aunque sí se atiende (aunque de forma variable) a distintos ejes de diversidad y desigualdad: principalmente, la edad / ciclo vital, el territorio y la exclusión social. El análisis documental ha permitido localizar las problemáticas interseccionales objeto de atención en distintos ámbitos sociales: principalmente, educación, violencia y políticas de inclusión social. Al mismo tiempo, se produce la infrarrepresentación de los intereses y necesidades de mujeres racializadas, migrantes y de minorías étnicas, así como una insensibilidad a la diversidad afectivo-sexual. El análisis crítico, reflexivo y situado que se plantea desde la interseccionalidad puede ayudar a incrementar la eficacia y la equidad de las políticas de igualdad de género al fijar la mirada en grupos y problemáticas situados en las intersecciones de múltiples desigualdades.