Assessing Intimate Partner Abuse: Associated Factors and Health Consequences among Jordanian Women

Kelly P. Reducing Violence Against Women and Girls in the Arab League: A Systematic Review of Preventive Interventions

The UN's Sustainable Development Goal #5 (Gender Equity) includes violence against women and girls (VAWG), considering it as a violation of the rights of women and girls. The variety of risk factors for VAWG in Arab countries suggests the need to identify effective interventions to guide practitioners and policy makers. A systematic review of preventive interventions across the Arab League examined the outcomes of VAWG. Authors registered the study on the prospective register of systematic reviews database. Authors conducted the search for evidence up to 2023. Database searching identified 1,502 studies and after application of the eligibility criteria, 17 studies remained for inclusion. Quality appraisal used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Evidence emerged from eight Arab countries. Interventions occurred at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention. However, only two studies employed interventions using more than one level of prevention, which considered systems strengthening and the development of community solidarity networks. The evidence revealed a lack of clear evaluation and evidence for the effectiveness of interventions and prevention alongside reactive approaches, with no evidence as to how systems may reduce or prevent VAWG. One main issue is patriarchal dominance in Arab countries creating the lack of a collective female voice in any of the evidence. However, Arab countries can change with support. Achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goal #5 by 2030 means interventions and programs need to include more than one prevention level, consider systems and include the collective female voice.

Aftermath of COVID-19: Exploring the Perception of Violence Against Women in the Middle East and North Africa

This article explores the perception of violence against women (VAW) in the Middle East and North Africa in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic using Arab Barometer VI parts 1 and 3 (N = 12,548). Results showed that men and social conservatism were less likely to perceive that the VAW in the community had increased. For religious people, the odds of perceiving violence in the community were higher. Individuals whose jobs were interrupted because of the COVID-19 outbreak were more likely to perceive VAW in the community has increased compared to individuals whose jobs were not interrupted. The strongest predictor of the perception of increased VAW in the community because of COVID-19 was the current economic situation of the country. Those who perceived the economic situation of the country as bad were 1.6 times more likely to believe that VAW has increased. Government handling of the crisis and overall government performance increased the odds of perceiving that VAW has increased. Investigating correlates of VAW as the consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial because it helps governments, emergency services, and community leaders develop strategies of prevention for future disasters and improve community and institutional reactions.

Is there an association between intimate partner violence and the prevalence of cervical cancer screening in Jordan?

BACKGROUND

Major health inequalities exist surrounding the utilisation of cervical cancer screening services globally. Jordan, a low- and middle-income country, has poor screening rates (15.8%), with barriers to accessing services, including lack of education. Emerging studies demonstrate that intimate partner violence (IPV) impacts reproductive health decisions. As a large proportion of Jordanian women have reported experiencing IPV, this study examines the association between IPV and cervical cancer screening in Jordan, the first of its kind using national-level data.

METHODS

Using Jordan's Demographic Health Survey 2017-18, cervical cancer screening awareness and self-reported screening were estimated in participants who answered questions on IPV (n = 6679). After applying sample weights, Heckman's two-stage probit model determined the association of awareness and utilisation of cervical cancer screening with experience of IPV, adjusting for the socio-economic factors.

RESULTS

Of the women with privacy to answer the IPV module, 180 (3.4%) were found to be victims of sexual violence, 691 of physical violence (12.6%) and 935 (16.2%) of emotional violence. Women subjected to sexual violence were less likely to admit to having awareness of a Pap smear test; however, this did not impact screening rates. Victims of emotional violence were more likely to be screened than non-victims. No association between physical violence and cervical cancer screening was found.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant association between cervical screening awareness and IPV demonstrates that cancer screening policies must consider IPV among women to improve screening awareness. The paper further sheds light on the paradoxical association between emotional violence and screening. It is acknowledged this situation may be far worse than reported, as women without autonomy were unlikely to answer IPV questions that may endanger them-targeted surveys on cervical cancer screening warrant further investigation.

Domestic Violence Against Women in North African and Middle Eastern Countries: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aimed to identify the scope of the current literature on the prevalence, consequences, and risk factors of domestic violence (DV) against women by their husbands or male partners in North African and Middle Eastern countries. The methodology for this scoping review was based on the framework outlined by Arksey and O'Malley. Studies published on DV against women over the age of 15 by partner or husband and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals between January 1970 and April 2018 were included in the review. The databases MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, HealthSTAR, EMBASE, Scopus, African Journals Online, Turkish Journal Database, and gray literature sources were searched. On completion of the review process, 151 full-text articles were identified for charting. This review demonstrated that women's age, women's education level, duration of marriage, history of childhood abuse/witnessing family violence, living in the rural region, and family income level were negatively associated with DV, indicating that younger women, women with lower education, a longer marriage duration, and a lower income level had a higher risk of exposure to DV in this region. Anxiety, depression/insomnia, and physical injury were the most common health problems reported by victims in the region. The highest proportion of women with no response to violence was reported in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The findings of this scoping review represent the first attempt to summarize the literature from North African and Middle Eastern countries and demonstrate the similarity in DV-related behaviors among women despite the cultural and regional diversity of the studies.

Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the Arab Countries: A Systematic Review of Risk Factors

Intimate partner violence (IPV) profoundly damages physical, sexual, reproductive, and psychological health, as well as social well-being of individuals and families. We sought in this systematic review to examine the risk factors according to the integrative ecological theoretical framework for IPV for women living in the Arab countries. We searched Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS, supplemented by hand searching of reference lists. A research strategy was developed and observational studies were included if they considered female participants (age ≥13) in heterosexual relationships, estimates of potential risk factors of IPV, and IPV as a primary outcome. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the risk factors data from 30 cross-sectional studies. Factors associated with increased IPV against women were extracted and categorized into four levels according to the updated integrative ecological model. At the individual level, risk factors were either related to victims or perpetrators of IPV. Factors relating to marriage, conflict within the family, etc., were explored and included within the family level, whereas factors relating to the extended family and the nature of marriage were included in the community level. Finally, risk factors relating to the cultural context that are influenced by the political and religious backgrounds were included in the societal level. The complex structure of violence against women in the Arab world calls for socioculturally sensitive interventions, which should be accompanied by systematic and structured work aimed at improving Arab women's status at all levels.

"Hitting as Light as Feathers": Religious Leaders' Voices on Domestic Violence

Domestic violence (DV) is described as a major public health issue that negatively affects women's physical, mental, reproductive, and sexual health. In Lebanon, there are 18 religious sects that are allowed by the Lebanese constitution to manage their own affairs, judge, legislate, and issue rulings. These laws discriminate against married women and favor men over women. The purpose of this research is to explore the views and attitudes of religious leaders on DV, and their experiences of dealing with DV in Lebanon. This study involved in-depth interviews with 13 male religious leaders from various religious denominations. Each religious leader participated in an in-depth interview to assess understanding and perceptions about DV, and how DV cases are usually dealt with. All of the participants stated that they were involved in the affairs of their communities by counseling on familial and marital problems. Thus, several themes emerged throughout this study which are related to types and prevalence of DV, causes of DV, responding to DV through counseling and taking legal measures, religious leaders' opinions on the DV law, and the support they need from the community and stakeholders to encourage the implementation of the law against DV. The results demonstrated that religious leaders are one of the many stakeholders concerned with addressing community-level issues because religion is a prominent part of people's lives in Lebanon. Therefore, religious leaders could have a pivotal role in raising awareness about and responding to DV. Providing them with proper information and referral options in the communities they serve would improve society's response to DV. Finally, their request for building their skills in DV counseling in the form of trainings or workshops indicates a need that can be met by local community organizations.

Determinants of husbands' violence against women in Jordan

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common form of abuse against women. It comes in the form of physical, sexual, emotional, and controlling behaviors abuse, and affects women's physical and psychological well-being. Perceived social support decreases IPV risk.

PURPOSE

This study explores the determinants of IPV in J society.

METHOD

One hundred and eighty-seven women exposed to IPV were recruited from J Women Unions to take part in this cross-sectional prospective quantitative design, administering the Arabic version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (AVMSPSS) to 187, who also answered the demographic characteristics data sheet.

RESULTS

Almost 83% of participants perceived that they received lower to moderate PSS. Based on multiple regression, determinants of IPV were PSS, followed by participant education, husband education, participant age, and financial income (p < .001). The number of children and parental level of education showed no statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight the importance of social support systems among IPV women. Alongside socioeconomic development continuing to increase education among both men and women, there is a need to increase societal awareness and foster social support systems to prevent violence against women and offer resources to affected women, targeted at the most at-risk age groups.

Different predictors of intimate partner and natal family violence against women

Background

Violence against women is often studied in the context of violence from intimate partners. However, women receive violence from a wider range of individuals—such as their natal kin—including their siblings, parents, uncles and cousins. Applying insights from evolutionary theory, we examine whether cousin marriage, which has been hypothesized to both reduce the risk of partner violence but increase the risk of natal family violence, associates differently with each type of violence. Second, we test whether common risk factors for partner violence, such as wealth, associate similarly with natal violence.

Methodology

We analyse over 16 000 Jordanian women from three cohorts of the Jordan Demographic Health Surveys. Predictor variables include type of cousin marriage (patrilateral or matrilateral), education, wealth, number of children, urban living and polygyny. Outcome variables include whether a woman’s husband or her natal family has ever been physically violent towards her.

Results

Being married to a patrilateral cousin but not a matrilateral cousin is associated with a reduced risk of reporting intimate partner violence (IPV). By contrast being married to a matrilateral cousin but not a patrilateral one is associated with a reduced risk of reporting natal family violence. As expected, wealth is negatively associated with reporting partner violence, but we find no association with reports of natal family violence. Finally, individuals with more children are more likely to report IPV.

Conclusions and implications

Findings indicate the importance of distinguishing between types of cousin marriage and highlight substantial differences in risk factors for intimate partner compared to natal family violence.

Lay Summary

Sociodemographic risk factors, such as wealth, may associate differently with intimate partner and natal family violence. Results suggest that whether cousin marriage is protective of violence may depend on the type of cousin and secondly, that violence can have fitness relevant outcomes.

Intimate partner violence against reproductive-age women and associated factors in Peru: evidence from national surveys, 2015-2017

PURPOSE

We aimed to evaluate the factors associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) against reproductive-age women in Peru.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of the ENDES 2015-2017. ENDES is a multi-stage survey with a probabilistic sampling design for the urban and rural areas of the 25 regions of Peru. A total of 62,870 women of reproductive age (15-49 years) were included. IPV was defined as any report of violence (physical, psychological or sexual) committed by the last partner of the women. Categorical variables were described using absolute frequencies and weighted proportions. We used generalized linear models with Poisson family and log link function to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) for the associated factors with their respective 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

The overall IPV was 38.7%. The prevalence of sexual, psychological and physical IPV was 6.9%, 26.8%, and 31.2%, respectively. The frequency of any IPV was lower in younger women, those living with their intimate partners or married, and those living in a coastal region different from Lima. IPV was more frequent among women with a low educational level, or with a partner with low educational level, with children, with a partner with alcohol habit, in women with a history of violence by the father against the mother and living in the highlands or the jungle.

CONCLUSIONS

In Peru, IPV affects nearly four in ten women (physical and psychological types were the most frequent). The factors associated with IPV can be useful markers to identify the most vulnerable groups for implementing interventions intended to decrease the prevalence of IPV.

Women Facing Psychological Abuse: How Do They Respond to Maternal Identity Humiliation and Body Shaming?

This research analyzes the decisions made by women facing simulated situations of psychological abuse. Seventy-three women (36.9 ± 13.6 years) who had been victims of domestic violence participated. The analysis was based on their coping strategies, early maladaptive schemes, and their decisions in response to vignettes describing the following domestic violence situations: humiliation to women's maternal identity with children as witnesses and body shaming. We used Student's t and Mann-Whitney tests to compare the results between groups. The participants presented some coping strategies (social support seeking, wishful thinking, and professional support seeking) and several early maladaptive schemes (emotional deprivation, defectiveness/shame, social isolation/alienation, failure to achieve, attachment, and subjugation) associated with their reactions facing a situation of humiliation with children as witnesses. When the humiliation was against the body image, their reactions were associated with some coping strategies (wishful thinking, professional support seeking, autonomy, negative auto-focus coping, and positive reappraisal) and one maladaptive scheme (defectiveness/shame). Women who reacted avoidantly showed higher social and professional support seeking but experienced higher indicators of discomfort and deterioration of self-esteem than those who opted for assertive decisions. The presence of children as witnesses seems to be a factor of stress in the configuration of coping strategies and maladaptive schemes in female victims of domestic violence. The evolution of early maladaptive schemes and coping strategies requires observation to avoid the risk of isolation and permanence in victimizing relationships.