Factors associated with past year physical and sexual intimate partner violence against women in Zimbabwe: results from a national cluster-based cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women continues to be a public health burden globally. Objectives: To assess prevalence and factors associated with women's experiences of past 12 months physical/sexual IPV Methods: A two-stage cluster-based national cross-sectional survey in which women were randomly selected for participation was conducted among 5295 women aged 15-49 years. IPV in the last 12 months was assessed using the WHO interviewer-administered questionnaire for measuring violence against women. Participants' wife beating attitudes, partner controlling behaviours, household decision-making, STI history, HIV status and demographic characteristics were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to assess factors associated with IPV. Results: Of the 5292 women interviewed, mean age was 31.5 years and 84.7% were married. Over one-fifth of the women (20.2: 95%CI 19.1-21.3) were physically/sexually abused in the last 12 months. IPV was associated with gender inequitable norms and practices which include lacking household decision-making power (aOR 2.05, 1.71-2.47), experiencing low (aOR 2.05; 1.71-2.47) or high (aOR 4.5; 3.62-5.60) partner controlling behaviours (vs none) and endorsing low (aOR 1.29) or high (aOR 1.36) wife beating attitudes (vs none), having sexual self-efficacy (aOR 1.19; 1.10-1.41), experiencing emotional abuse (aOR 4.50; 3.62-5.60) and having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) (aOR 1.36, 1.04-1.77). IPV was also associated with women's empowerment factors including possessing household assets (aOR 1.26, 1.03-1.54) and reporting current media usage (aOR 1.29; 1.04-1.61). Demographic factors associated with IPV were age and number of children. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that IPV is a significant public health and societal problem as one in five women were abused in the past year. Younger women, less empowered women, women in inequitable intimate relationships and women endorsing traditional gender norms were at increased risk of abuse. IPV prevention programmes must prioritise transforming traditional gender norms and women's economic empowerment.

Community Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence during Pregnancy—A Qualitative Study from Ethiopia

“…In concert with other studies, our study highlights that police officers may even side with the aggressor or hold a patriarchal view, considering abuse as a personal and family issue rather than a societal and legal problem [14]. This may enhance the gender inequitable norms and encourage such practices in the society [32]. This also illustrates that the responses of IPV in pregnancy by agencies are shaped by existing structural and socio-cultural norms [23].…”

“…Consistent with the Connell’s theory of gender and power, social constructs, including the sexual division of labour, power and social norms, conflict/violence in marriage is taken for granted, and women are expected to be tolerant and sacrificial [30,31], enforcing the tendency to preserve women’s subordination. Other studies also confirm the gender inequitable norms and practices linked to IPV [32,33,34]. Men’s cultural and historical authority further strengthens their general sense of power over their partners, and if this power is threatened, permission to resort to violence [35].…”

Forms of and Factors Associated With Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence by Men on Their Female Partners Following HIV Status Disclosure in the Ashanti Region of Ghana: A Qualitative Study

“…Academic qualification is said to be a source of knowledge for the individual that is utilized in many ways. Previous studies support these findings (Aol´ain, O'Rourke, & Swaine, 2012a;Shamu, Shamu, & Machisa, 2018). Previous studies on intimate violence (Birkley & Eckhardt, 2015;Stith, Smith, Penn, Ward, & Tritt, 2004) point to the fact that most violence in HIV infections is perpetrated in discordant infections but in this study, it was found that even in concordant infections perpetration of intimate partner violence was prevalent as participants argued with their partners as to who was the cause of the infection.…”

Experiences of violence among female and male grade eight learners: baseline findings from the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) trial across three South African townships

“…Given the higher odds of males experiencing violence overall, primary violence prevention interventions, such as Stepping Stones 27,28 , Family Matters 3 29 and SASA! 30 , are needed to tackle harmful cultural norms that perpetuate violence among boys and decrease tolerance of violence overall 31,32 . These programs should target both boys and girls, men and women, as parents play a key role in the reduction of violence against children and teens 16 .…”