Prevalence and Factors Associated With Intimate Partner Violence Among Women in Haiti: Understanding Household, Individual, Partner, and Relationship Characteristics

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue with detrimental consequences for women’s reproductive, mental, and physical health. In Haiti, IPV is a major obstacle to women’s development. Yet, the determinants of IPV victimization are still not well understood. In this study, we utilized the 2016–2017 Haiti Demographic and Health Survey to determine the prevalence of IPV victimization and its subtypes (emotional, physical, and sexual abuse) among married or cohabiting women ( N = 3,805) of reproductive age (15–49) by their current husband/partner. Logistic regression was conducted to explore the association between IPV and household, individual, husband/partner, and relationship characteristics. The prevalence of IPV victimization was 32.5% with the majority reporting emotional (24.7%) followed by physical (16.8%) and sexual (10.5%) violence. Increased odds of IPV victimization were found among women with children in the household (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.03, 2.02]), with attitudinal acceptance of wife-beating (AOR = 1.45, 95% CI = [1.05, 2.02]), and those who witnessed their father beating their mother (AOR = 1.49, 95% CI = [1.18, 2.67]). Higher odds of reporting IPV victimization were also found among women whose partner drank alcohol (AOR = 2.89, 95% CI = [2.29, 3.65]), who were in a polygynous relationship (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI = [1.23, 2.40]), and displayed one or more controlling behaviors (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI = [1.42, 2.59]). Women who reported being afraid of their partner had greater odds of IPV victimization (AOR = 16.22, 95% CI = [8.38, 31.39]). Decreased odds of reporting IPV were associated with women living in rural areas (AOR = 0.73, 95% CI = [0.53, 1.00]) and those unmarried, but living with their partner (AOR = 0.62, 95% CI = [0.43, 0.90]). Our findings identify subgroups of women in Haiti that may be vulnerable to IPV victimization. Thus, we recommend a differentiated approach to IPV prevention strategies and interventions that consider women’s family structure in the household as well as individual, partner, and relationship characteristics.

Trends and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in Rwanda: results from the 2015 and 2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey (RDHS 2015 and 2020)

“…The study also found that women whose husbands use alcohol are at high risk of experiencing intimate partner violence, which is consistent with findings from other studies [ 18 , 23 , 34 , 35 , 41 , 42 ]. Other studies discovered that both men's and women's alcohol consumption was a risk factor for IPV [ 44 ].…”

“…The prevalence rate of IPV in the current study is high when compared to the study conducted just before the pandemic [ 32 ]. The increase in prevalence of IPV was also reported in other countries in similar recent studies, for example, 42% in Malawi [ 33 ], 40% in Gambia [ 34 ], and 32.5% in Haiti [ 35 ], and 42.7%in Zimbabwe [ 36 ].…”

Prevalence and associated factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in Bangladesh amid COVID-19 pandemic

“…This indicated the increase of IPV during the pandemic. High prevalence of IPV was also reported in some other countries in similar recent studies, for instance, 42% in Malawi ( Chikhungu et al., 2019 ), 56.7% in Southern India ( George et al., 2016 ), 40% in Gambia ( Jabbi et al., 2020 ), 42.7% in Zimbabwe ( Lasong et al., 2020 ), and 32.5% in Haiti ( Occean et al., 2020 ). A recent study of Hamadani et al.…”

Typologies of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Five Latin-American Countries: A Latent Class Analysis

“…Haiti had high levels of poverty and violence. In addition, social norms maintain gender imbalances, women's poverty, and acceptance of IPV, leading to reduced reporting of IPV [33,34]. For all these differences among countries, we conducted an overall latent class model and tested the multigroup latent class in which we found classes were similar between countries.…”