Determinants of intimate partner controlling behavior targeting women in Türkiye

Socio-economic determinants of intimate-partner physical violence among women in South Africa

Introduction

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a worldwide public health and human rights problem that occurs in various forms which includes physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. It is commonly perpetrated by the male intimate partner. This phenomenon cuts across the global South regions, including South Africa. In South Africa, women bear the brunt of intimate-partner physical violence, there is a need to reduce femicide and highlight the preponderance of intimate-partner physical violence in South Africa.

Methods

The main objective is to explore the socio-economic determinants of IPV among women in South Africa. Data are drawn from the 2016 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey 2016. The total sample (8,514) of women aged 15-49 years was selected and interviewed for domestic violence. The sampling method used for the survey conducted was a stratified sample selected in two stages, with enumeration areas (EA) as the sampling units for the first stage. Univariate analysis was performed to show the distribution of the variables in the study followed by bivariate analysis (Pearson's chi-square statistics) showing the relationship between individual variables and the dependent variable.

Results

Using multivariate analysis (Binary regression model) to determine the socio-economic variables revealed the significance of p < 0.01-p < 0.04, p < 0.005-p < 0.009 and p < 0.005, associated with the dependent variable while controlling for the effects of other variables. The results revealed significant Odds Ratios (ORs) that highest educational attainment, ORs (1.565), wealth index, ORs (poorer = 0.883, middle = 0.924), employment status ORs (1.073), current marital status, ORs (married = 0.425, living together = 0.479, divorced/separated = 0.422), and justifying wife-beating ORs (yes = 3.030).

Conclusion

This shows the need for policymakers to address physical violence by placing an emphasis on formulation of programmes and policies that empower women through education, employment, and political participation.

Effects of couple-based violence prevention education on male partners' knowledge, attitudes and controlling behavior related to intimate partner violence in rural Ethiopia: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background

Supportive attitudes toward wife-beating and the experience of controlling behavior from husbands have been known to increase the risks of intimate partner violence (IPV). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of couple-based violence prevention education in addressing IPV-related knowledge, attitudes, and controlling behavior among male partners in rural Ethiopia.

Method

A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted using a two-arm parallel group design. The 16 clusters were randomly allocated into 8 intervention groups and 8 control groups. A total of 432 couples (432 male partners and 432 pregnant wives) participated in the trial. Couple-based violence prevention education (CBVPE) was provided to the participants in the intervention group, while the control group received routine or standard care. Difference-in-difference analysis and the Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) model were used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention.

Result

At the endline, 94.4% of male partners in the intervention group and 94.9% in the control group were available for the intention-to-treat analysis. Male partners in the intervention group were 3.7 times more likely to have good knowledge about IPV compared to male partners in the control group (AOR = 3.7; 95% CI 2.6-5.4). Male partners in the intervention group were 67.6% less likely to report supportive attitudes toward wife-beating compared to those in the control group (AOR = 0.324; 95% CI 0.229-0.459). Also, the proportion of controlling behavior exhibited by male partners in the intervention group was 56.4% less compared to the control group (AOR = 0.436; 95% CI 0.317-0.600).

Conclusion

The intervention proved effective in enhancing knowledge about IPV, reducing supportive attitudes toward wife-beating, and curbing controlling behaviors among male partners in the study setting. This approach holds promise for scaling up and adapting to similar contexts in Ethiopia.

Trial registration

The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT05856214 on May 4, 2023.

Informant discrepancy profiles of helicopter parenting and adult children's partner-controlling and partner-controlled behaviors

Helicopter parenting is a distinctive, intrusive parenting approach characterized by high involvement, elements of control, and limited autonomy granted. It may impact adult children's engagement in partner-controlling and partner-controlled behaviors. However, little research has assessed the patterns of parent-child perception differences regarding helicopter parenting and their connections to these behaviors. This study aimed to identify profiles of informant discrepancies regarding helicopter parenting within Chinese families and explore their associations with adult children's partner-controlling and partner-controlled behaviors. Matched data from fathers, mothers, and adult children in one hundred and ninety-six intact families were included. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted, identifying four profiles: parents over child (13.78%), child moderately over mother and moderately under father (17.35%), no consistent disagreements (49.49%), and child over parents (19.39%). Children whose perceptions aligned with their parents reported fewer partner-controlling and partner-controlled behaviors, compared to those whose perceptions exceeded their parents'. Similarly, children whose perceptions were lower than their parents' also reported fewer partner-controlled behaviors compared to those with higher perceptions. The findings provide evidence for understanding dynamic patterns of informant discrepancies regarding helicopter parenting in Chinese families and support the development of family-based interventions to address partner-controlling and partner-controlled behaviors.

Emotional violence within intimate partner violence against Turkish women in rural and urban areas

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors related to women's exposure to emotional violence by their spouses/partners in the 12 months prior to the survey, according to their place of residence (rural, urban) in Türkiye.

METHODS

Binary logistic regression analysis was utilized to determine the factors associated with women's exposure to emotional violence from their spouses/partners. The independent variables of the study were those used in the National Research on Domestic Violence against Women in Türkiye (2014). A total of 6,458 women-4,404 from urban areas and 2,054 from rural areas-were included in the analysis.

RESULTS

The findings obtained from the analyses indicated that women's exposure to emotional violence was associated with various factors such as age, educational level, marital status, and women's higher income contribution to the household. It was also found that afraid of spouse/partner, controlling behavior of spouse/partner, and other variables related to spouse/partner were associated with women's exposure to emotional violence. In rural, a woman with a higher income contribution to the household is less likely to be exposed to emotional IPV. A woman with no formal education, a primary and secondary school graduate spouse/partner is less likely to be exposed to emotional IPV than a woman with a high school graduate spouse/partner. The likelihood of a woman with a spouse/partner using drugs to be exposed to emotional IPV is lower than a non-user.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study are important in that they can be a source of information for policies and programs to prevent IPV against women. This study can also be a significant guide in determining priority areas for the resolution of emotional IPV against women. The study suggests developing proper strategies for reducing emotional violence, such as training and programs to help women pursue non-violent pathways in their relationships. It recommends expanding interventions to empower women economically that help prevent violence.

Comparison of Maternal-Fetal Attachment and Fertility Motivation in Pregnant Women With and Without Experience of Violence: Descriptive and Analytic Study

Background and Aims

Domestic violence during pregnancy harms the mother-child bond and can affect fertility decisions. The study aims to Comparison of Maternal-Fetal Attachment and Fertility Motivation in Pregnant Women with and without Experience of Violence.

Materials and Methods

This descriptive and analytical study was conducted was conducted in 2024. A total of 292 pregnant women were selected through stratified random cluster sampling from primary healthcare of zanjan, Iran, and divided in non-violent (147) and violent (145) groups. Data collection tools were Demographic, the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), the mother's attachment to Cranley's fetus, and Miller's fertility preferences questionnaire. To analyze the data by SPSS 17, we used Chi-square test, Pearson's test, correlation coefficient, and logistic regression, with a significance level set at p-value < 0.05.

Results

Most of the women who experienced violence had a second pregnancy or more (116 out of 145). Unwanted pregnancy was almost twice as common in women who had experienced violence as in women who had not (16.1% vs 8.2%). Women who experienced violence were significantly more likely to have fewer children (χ2 = 4.693, p = 0.33). As a result of the Binary logistics regression analyses, it was determined that the variables of young age of husband (OR: 1.325; CI:1.379-3.352), law education level of the husbands (OR:1.313; CI:1.090-2.093), gravida ≥ 5 (OR:5.750; CI:1.018-32.464), low desire to have children (OR:1.882; CI: 1.035-3.420), and low Fetal Attachment (OR: 5.423; CI: 1.965-14.966) were statistically significant with violent women.

Conclusion

Domestic violence during pregnancy affects the bond between mother and fetus, as well as fertility choices. Reducing domestic violence can enhance maternal-fetal attachment and improve fertility rates.

Measuring domestic violence against Egyptian women and its consequent cost using a latent variable model

BACKGROUND

Domestic Violence is a threatening worldwide problem. Its consequences against women can be dramatic, as it negatively affects women's quality of life reflected in their general wellbeing including physical, mental, emotional and sexual health, in addition to the economic cost. Both domestic violence and its cost are multidimensional constructs that cannot be directly measured.

METHODOLOGY

In this study, a latent trait model is used by applying item response theory to measure both domestic violence and its consequent cost via thirty-five observed variables. Accordingly, the study fills a gap in the literature since it is the first attempt to examine the relationship between domestic violence and its consequent cost in Egypt using latent variable modelling rather than simple descriptive statistics. Each construct is considered as a multidimensional latent variable. The overall latent trait model also estimates the relationship between domestic violence and its consequent cost. The effect of a number of socioeconomic covariates on domestic violence is examined within the model. The proposed model is fitted to data from the 2015 Egypt Economic Cost of Gender-Based Violence Survey (ECGBVS) using Mplus software.

RESULTS

The study shows that psychological violence is equally important in measuring domestic violence, as physical violence. The cost resulting from domestic violence relies in its measurement both on the reduced quality of life and the monetary cost endured by the violated woman and children. For socioeconomic covariates, it is shown that domestic violence is affected by women's and husband's age, educational level, and husband's occupational status.

CONCLUSION

Domestic violence is measured by summarizing four forms of violence: physical, psychological, sexual and economic violence, in a single continuous latent variable measuring "Domestic Violence". Similarly, Cost is measured by summarizing three forms of consequent cost of violence: economic cost, cost on children and cost on women's quality of life, in another a single continuous latent variable "Cost". Each of these dimensions is measured by a number of aspects, reflecting the multidimensional nature of the variables. The fitted latent trait model ensured the positive relationship between Domestic Violence and its consequent multidimensional cost.

Insights into perceptions, responses, and challenges experienced by women and girls' survivors of sexual violence and their communities in rural Guinea, 2020

Introduction

Gender-based violence (GBV), particularly sexual violence, is a significant global public health issue with severe physical, psychological, and social consequences for survivors and their communities, especially among women and girls. In Guinea, limited data exist on the frequency and management of sexual violence in rural areas. This study aimed to analyze the perceptions, responses, and challenges faced by women and girls' survivors of sexual violence and their communities in two rural districts of Guinea in 2020.

Methods

A parallel mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative data. For the quantitative analysis, all reported cases of GBV from public health facilities and directorates of girls and women' promotion were collected from January 1 to December 31, 2020 in the health districts of Télimélé and Mamou. The qualitative component involved key informant interviews with four main participant groups: survivors of GBV and their support networks, healthcare providers, stakeholders and partners involved in GBV prevention and response, and community leaders. Data were analyzed to identify patterns in case reporting, perceptions of violence, responses by survivors and communities, and challenges to effective management.

Results

The study revealed a high frequency of reported sexual violence among women, with substantial disparities between the two districts. In Mamou, sexual violence among women constituted 61% of all reported GBV cases, whereas in Télimélé, it accounted for only 8%. Additionally, data on sexual violence were inconsistent, with discrepancies in terminology and significant underreporting of cases. Survivors and their families predominantly sought conciliation with perpetrators' families, motivated by fear of retaliation, social stigmatization, and exclusion. This response was more prevalent in communities with limited law enforcement, where perpetrators were often released after short periods of detention. Participants highlighted several barriers to accessing health services and providing comprehensive care to survivors. These barriers included socio-economic constraints, a lack of skilled healthcare providers, frequent stock-outs of essential medical supplies, and the absence of psycho-social and legal support at the community level.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the urgent need to enhance the capacity of decentralized health and social services to deliver integrated, patient-centered care for sexual violence. There is also a pressing need for stronger enforcement of laws related to sexual violence, enhanced training for healthcare providers, and the harmonization of GBV data reporting tools. Tackling socio-cultural barriers through community education, while enhancing access to legal and psychological support are crucial for reducing the frequency of sexual violence and ensuring timely, quality care for survivors in Guinea.

Society's Attitude Toward Spousal Physical Abuse: Findings from the Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey, 2022

Background

Societal attitude toward spousal physical abuse plays a crucial role in preventing violence against women. Yet, this public health issue has been insufficiently addressed. This study examines the relationship between the societal attitude toward spousal physical abuse and various social determinants.

Methods

We used data from the 2022 Philippines' National Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variable was attitude toward spousal physical abuse. Covariates included women's sociodemographic characteristics, experiences of witnessing their father's abusive behavior, intimate partner violence (IPV), and controlling behavior. Partner-related variables (age, educational level, employment status, and alcohol consumption behavior) were also considered. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the associated factors of spousal physical abuse by using Stata 18.0.

Results

Overall, 1,920 (9%) of 19,228 women reported that spousal physical abuse is justifiable in at least one of the presented scenarios. Women IPV survivors (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.06-1.73) and those who experienced controlling behavior by their partners (aOR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.45-2.15) were more likely to accept spousal physical abuse than their counterparts. Conversely, women with a higher decision-making score were less likely to accept spousal physical abuse than those who had a lower score (aOR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.56-0.98).

Conclusions

Finding suggests that women's attitudes toward spousal physical abuse are significantly influenced by their experience of IPV. Future health research, programs, and policies should address individual, interpersonal, and systemic-level risk factors that profoundly impact women's health.

The effect of solution-focused approach on attitudes to violence against women in high school students

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to examine the Effect of Solution-Oriented Approach on Attitudes of Violence Against Women in High School Students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research was designed as a pretest-posttest and repeated-measurement randomized controlled experimental study. The population of the research consisted of 1473 students studying at 5 high schools randomly selected from a city center. Out of these students, 166 students who did not accept the study or did not meet the research criteria were excluded, and the school numbers of the remaining 1307 students were numbered separately for girls and boys, and 90 (45 girls and 45 boys) students were included in the study by simple randomization method. Personal Information Form and Violence Against Women Attitude Scale (İSKEBE) were used to collect data.

RESULTS

Before the program, the personal characteristics of the control and experimental group students were similar in terms of İSKEBE and subscale scores. Significant differences were found between the groups in the Attitude Toward Identity, Attitude Toward Body sub-dimensions, and the total scores of İSKEBE of the scale used to collect data in the post-program and follow-up test (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It was seen that the solution-oriented approach applied to high school students had positive effects on the students' attitudes toward violence against women. In this context, it is thought that this study will develop a new perspective in breaking the cycle of violence against women.

The effects of exposure to dating violence and cyber victimization of female university students on resilience and happiness levels

PURPOSE

To examine the effects of exposure to dating violence and cyber victimization of female university students on resilience and happiness levels.

METHODS

The data of this descriptive and correlational study were obtained from 400 female students studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing between December 2021 and April 2022 via a personal information form, the Cyber Victim Scale (CVS), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and the Oxford Happiness Inventory - Brief Form (OHI). In data analysis, Independent Samples t-Test, Pearson Correlation, and Linear Regression analysis were used together with descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Of the students, 6.5 % were exposed to physical, 8.3 % to economic, 9.8 % to sexual, 28.8 % to verbal, and 53.8 % to emotional dating violence. A significant difference was found between students' exposure to verbal (p = 0.013) dating violence and their resilience. A significant difference was also found between students' exposure to verbal and sexual (p = 0.04) dating violence and their happiness. There was a significant, negative, poor correlation between the mean of the female students' CVS scores and the BRS (r = -0.178, p < 0.001) and OHI scores (r = -0.247, p < 0.001). It was concluded that cyber victimization is a risk factor for resilience and happiness of the female university students.

CONCLUSION

Early detection of dating violence and cyber victimization among university students is important in combating violence. In addition, considering that cyber victimization affects the level of psychological resilience and happiness, students' awareness of cyber victimization should be increased in the fight against cyber victimization to increase the mental health of young people.

Gender differences in psychological help-seeking attitudes: a case in Türkiye

Background/aim

Mental disorders pose a substantial public health challenge within the overall disease burden. This study aims to determine the factors associated with seeking psychological help among individuals experiencing depression according to gender differences in Türkiye.

Methods

The study utilized microdata from Türkiye Health Survey conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2016, 2019, and 2022. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the factors associated with seeking psychological help.

Results

The study's findings reveal that variables such as survey year, age, education level, employment status, general health status, disease status, depression status, day service status in the hospital, daily activity status, tobacco use status, and alcohol use status are associated with the status of receiving psychological help.

Conclusion

Gender-specific analysis indicated variations in the significance and impact of these variables among individuals seeking psychological help. In the development of preventive strategies for mental health protection, special attention should be given to factors associated with the psychological help-seeking behavior of both women and men. Prioritizing and addressing these factors will contribute to more effective mental health interventions.

Intimate partner violence among women in Togo: a generalised structural equation modeling approach

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the magnitude and identify associated factors with intimate partner violence (IPV) in Togo.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Togo.

PARTICIPANTS

Women of reproductive age (15-49 years).

PRIMARY OUTCOME

Intimate partner violence.

METHODS

This study used data from the 2013 Togolese Demographic and Health Survey. A total of 4910 married or partnered women were included. A Generalised Structural Equation Model (GSEM) was performed to identify significant factors associated with IPV. Results of the GSEM were reported as adjusted ORs (aOR) with their corresponding 95% CIs.

RESULTS

The pooled prevalence of IPV was 35.5% (95% CI: 34.2% to 36.8%). Emotional violence and physical violence were the most reported forms of IPV (29.7% and 20.2%, respectively), while sexual violence was the least common, with a prevalence of 7.5%. Additionally, the results indicated that the following factors related to women, men and households were significantly associated with IPV in Togo: ethnicity, region, religion, wealth index, working status, age at the first union, having attitudes toward wife-beating, participation in household decision-making, education level, alcohol use and controlling behaviour.

CONCLUSION

IPV is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon in Togo. The Togo government as well as women's human rights organisations should consider these factors when designing IPV programmes.

A classification model for municipalities in the paraense Amazon regarding the risk of violence against women: A multicriteria approach

Violence against women (VAW) is a serious violation of the rights to life, health, and physical integrity. Recent studies point out that social, economic, and demographic factors directly impact the advance of this type of violence. In view of these facts, the state has its responsibility increased when it cannot provide the public equipment necessary for management strategies that collaborate with the confrontation of violence. This project aims to develop a multicriteria decision analysis model (MCDA) to classify Pará municipalities with regard to the propensity for VAW crime, based on the mapping of assistance and protection equipment, as well as socioeconomic indicators of each municipality. The model developed and the research findings represent an important step in elaboration. In turn, this model demonstrates its ability to be a possible instrument that decision makers and implementers of public policies aimed at protecting and supporting women victims of violence in order to anticipate new occurrences.