Living in Danger: Previous Violence, Socioeconomic Position, and Mortality Risk among Women over a 10-Year Period

Abstract

Violence against women has many negative consequences. In this short report the authors investigate patterns of mortality among women experiencing violence leading to inpatient care from 1992 to 2006. Do women who are victims of severe violence have an increased mortality risk (a) in general? (b) by violence? (c) by suicide? Does socioeconomic position have any bearing on the mortality risk? The study was based on Swedish national registers, where 6,085 women exposed to violence resulting in inpatient care were compared with a nonexposed population sample of 55,016 women. Women of all social strata previously exposed to severe violence and treated in hospital had a highly increased risk of premature death from all-cause mortality, violence, or suicide. Women previously exposed to severe violence continue to live a life in danger. There is need for a societal response to support and protect these women against further violence after discharge from hospital.

The association between exposure to interpersonal violence and suicide among women: a systematic review

“…[49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63] Psychological or emotional abuse was the next most studied modality, with seven studies reporting on this type of violence. Among the studies that defined the modalities examined, physical abuse was the most commonly studied (n=15).…”

“…[49][50][51][52][53]57,63 Sexual abuse was studied in six of the identified articles, 50,53,59,62,64,65 neglect in three 50,63,66 and verbal abuse in two. Seven studies focused solely on physical violence, [54][55][56][57][58]60,61 while an additional two exclusively examined sexual abuse. 50 More studies examined a single mode of violence (n=9) than incorporated multiple modalities (n=8).…”

“…Among the studies that defined the modalities examined, physical abuse was the most commonly studied (n=15). [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63] Psychological or emotional abuse was the next most studied modality, with seven studies reporting on this type of violence. [49][50][51][52][53]57,63 Sexual abuse was studied in six of the identified articles, 50,53,59,62,64,65 neglect in three 50,63,66 and verbal abuse in two.…”

“…50 More studies examined a single mode of violence (n=9) than incorporated multiple modalities (n=8). Seven studies focused solely on physical violence, [54][55][56][57][58]60,61 while an additional two exclusively examined sexual abuse. 64,65 Only two studies 50,53 included a broad definition of violence, including most WHO defined modalities of IPV.…”

“…50,70 One high-quality study found that any exposure to violence may increase the risk of death from suicide by up to 17-fold, compared to women not exposed to violence. 58 Similarly, an Australian study reported that women who were victims of childhood sexual abuse might be at up to 40 times higher risk of dying from suicide. 64 Ill-treatment (including physical, emotional, psychological or verbal abuse) or oppression by a husband contributed to almost half of suicides among women in one area of Bangladesh.…”