Gender Based Violence Among Pregnant Women: A Hospital Based Study

Abstract

Introduction: Gender Based Violence (GBV) is prevalent and exists to some extent in virtually all societies throughout the world. Evidence shows consistent negative effect of violence on health of women particularly. This hidden disease is perceived as a social issue and not a health issue and is often overlooked by health care providers.
 Methodology: This study was a Cross Sectional descriptive study conducted at national Academy of Medical Science affiliated Paropaker Women's and Maternity Hospital, Kathmandu enrolling 950 pregnant women from the emergency admission room who were interviewed using structured questionnaire from mid march to the end August in the year 2007.
 Result and discussion: Among 950 women suffered from gender based violence (33.36%). One hundred and fifty women faced psychological violence (47.31%), seventy two clients faced physical violence (22.71%), and forty two women faced sexual violence (13.24%) and rest of them faced all types of violence. Violence was reported during the current pregnancy (41.32%). Husbands were perpetrator of violence for almost on third of women (34.06%), followed by mother in low (18.29%). Joint violence by family members was quit common (28.1%). Perpetrator outside family was responsible for approximately 20% of cases. Domestic violence was extremely common accounting for more than four fifty of cases (81.38%). Among sexual violence, (45.45%) women were victim of marital rape. Alcoholism as one of the common reason for wife battering, observed in this study in Maternity Hospital which is still prevalent in Nepal. Often, verbal abuse is an excuse for imposing discipline in the family. Women's economic and emotional dependence on husband could be responsible for the vulnerable status in family. Health seeking behavior following violence was found to be extremely low in this study suggestion gender based violence as a privet matter.

Does husband’s alcohol consumption increase the risk of domestic violence during the pregnancy and postpartum periods in Nepalese women?

“…Domestic violence occurring during this period can contribute to severe consequences. Many factors which are responsible for DV, but the alcohol drinking behavior of husband is one of the important factors for DV in Nepalese women [ 15 ]. Alcohol is culturally accepted in different ethnic groups in Nepal, especially in Newar and Janajati (alcohol drinking caste such as Tharu, Tamang) and used in most religious occasions [ 16 ].…”

“…In Nepal, alcoholism is a common cause of familial conflict. The alcohol drinking behavior of the husband is the risk factor of DV during pregnancy and the postpartum period in Nepalese women [ 14 , 15 ]. However, DV during the pregnancy and the postpartum periods can be affected by other factors such as ethnicity [ 34 ] and educational status of women, marriage duration [ 34 ] and husband controlling behaviors [ 14 ].…”

The Prevalence of Violence Against Women During Pregnancy and After Delivery in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…When testing multiple factors associated with having an accident or violence before birth, there was a significant association between most labor factors and having an accident or violence before or during birth. The incidence of perinatal and neonatal mortality is higher in women who have suffered physical violence during pregnancy than in women who did not suffer such violence during pregnancy [ 21 ]. We found that 67% of women who experienced violence during labor delivered in public hospitals.…”

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Domestic Violence during Pregnancy: A Meta-Analysis Approach

“…In case of gender development and inequality index, Pakistan ranks poorly among other countries. Women in these countries remain a vulnerable part of the population 27 . Other risk factors included are increased usage of drugs, which may lead to irresponsible behavior like domestic violence 28 .…”