Spatial distribution and predictors of lifetime experience of intimate partner violence among women in South Africa

Abstract

In recent times, intimate partner has gained significant attention. However, there is limited evidence on the spatial distribution and predictors of intimate partner violence. Therefore, this study examined the spatial distribution and predictors of intimate partner violence in South Africa. The dataset for this study was obtained from a cross-sectional survey of the 2016 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey. We adopted both spatial and multilevel analyses to show the distribution and predictors of intimate partner violence among 2,410 women of reproductive age who had ever experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime in South Africa. The spatial distribution of intimate partner violence in South Africa ranged from 0 to 100 percent. Western Cape, Free State, and Eastern Cape were predicted areas that showed a high proportion of intimate partner violence in South Africa. The likelihood of experiencing intimate partner violence among women in South Africa was high among those who were cohabiting [aOR = 1.41; 95%(CI = 1.10–1.81)] and women who were previously married [aOR = 2.09; 95%(CI = 1.30–3.36)], compared to women who were currently married. Women who lived in households with middle [aOR = 0.67; 95%(CI = 0.48–0.95)] and richest wealth index [aOR = 0.57; 95%(CI = 0.34–0.97)] were less likely to experience lifetime intimate partner violence compared to those of the poorest wealth index. The study concludes that there is a regional variation in the distribution of intimate partner violence in South Africa. A high prevalence of intimate partner violence was found among women who live in the Western Cape, Free State, and Eastern Cape. Furthermore, predictors such as women within the poorest wealth index, women who were cohabiting and those who were previously married should be considered in the development and implementation of interventions against intimate partner violence in South Africa.

Prevalence, Correlates, and Trends of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Gambia: Results From 2 National Cross-Sectional Health Surveys

“…Previous studies from several African, Asian, and Latin American countries have reported various IPV correlates [1][2][3][4][5][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]24,26 ; in this secondary analysis 12 correlates at the level of individual respondent, husband/partner, and familial levels were studied in terms of association with respondent having ever experienced any form of intimate partner violence. These included women's' age, women's and her husband's/partner's educational attainment, women's occupation, household's wealth index, residential status (urban or rural), number of living children, decision making, IPV acceptance, husband's/partner's alcohol use, having ever witnessed one's father physically beating up one's mother, and marital control.…”

“…9,10 Plethora of IPV correlates have been reported using DHS and other data: these include gender-based power differentials with women experiencing limited empowerment and autonomy in terms of making or contributing to personal or household decisions, acceptance of IPV, low educational attainment by women or her partner, alcohol use by the partner, age of women, age of partner, and marital control displayed by the partner. 11-18…”

“…9,10 Plethora of IPV correlates have been reported using DHS and other data: these include genderbased power differentials with women experiencing limited empowerment and autonomy in terms of making or contributing to personal or household decisions, acceptance of IPV, low educational attainment by women or her partner, alcohol use by the partner, age of women, age of partner, and marital control displayed by the partner. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Hence, the mediating framework underpinning IPV perpetrated by men against women include women's economic dependence on their male intimate partner; physical power imbalance with resultant limited ability to defend and respond; household poverty leading to family disputes and threatening traditional male role as a provider; low educational attainment in both partners with no or limited understanding the effects of IPV on the victim and acceptance of such behavior, alcohol use by male partner with resultant low inhibitions to violence, intergenerational witnessing and acceptance of IPV; limited autonomy in terms of making household and personal decisions; number of children: more children impacting family's economic status, and infertility contributing to family and societal expectations to procreate; age of women: with older age accentuating economic dependence on male partner and younger age with limited ability to manage family affairs; and patriarchal societies dictating and perpetuating sociocultural norms reinforcing gender inequality, low empowerment and autonomy of women. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Situated in the West Africa, the Republic of the Gambia is the smallest country in terms of land size in the mainland Africa.…”

“…[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Hence, the mediating framework underpinning IPV perpetrated by men against women include women's economic dependence on their male intimate partner; physical power imbalance with resultant limited ability to defend and respond; household poverty leading to family disputes and threatening traditional male role as a provider; low educational attainment in both partners with no or limited understanding the effects of IPV on the victim and acceptance of such behavior, alcohol use by male partner with resultant low inhibitions to violence, intergenerational witnessing and acceptance of IPV; limited autonomy in terms of making household and personal decisions; number of children: more children impacting family's economic status, and infertility contributing to family and societal expectations to procreate; age of women: with older age accentuating economic dependence on male partner and younger age with limited ability to manage family affairs; and patriarchal societies dictating and perpetuating sociocultural norms reinforcing gender inequality, low empowerment and autonomy of women. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Situated in the West Africa, the Republic of the Gambia is the smallest country in terms of land size in the mainland Africa. The first Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) was conducted in 2013, and the second in 2019-20.…”

Prevalence, correlates, and trends of intimate partner violence against women in Sierra Leone: findings from 2013 and 2019 demographic and health surveys

“…More pervasive IPV practices perhaps negate the effects of these factors’ association with IPV in this study. However, several studies have reported an association of higher wealth status, measured in quintiles ranging from poorest to richest, and its protective effects on women experiencing IPV ( 15 , 16 , 23 , 26 ) with higher odds of IPV in women hailing from lower wealth quintiles ( 17 , 25 ). The lack of statistically significant association with the educational attainment of the respondent or her intimate partner was another unusual finding from this study.…”