Intimate partner violence: Factors and types of abuse women face in and around Coimbatore District, Tamilnadu

Abstract

Intimate partner violence has become an important global public health problem. It is the most common form of violence against women in all over the world and is prevalent both urban and rural areas. Intimate partner violence is also termed as domestic violence. Women end up suffering severe physical, emotional and sexual abuse by their partner. Women suffer silently due to the fear of retaliation, lack of economic support, lack of support from family and friends and majorly due to the concern of their children. The risk factors of IPV operates at 4 levels, individual, relationship, community and societal. This study aims in understanding the risk factors influencing IPV and other types of abuse women undergo due to violence in and around the district of Coimbatore. We surveyed around 200 women out of which 78 women voluntarily agreed to participate in the one to one interview where a structured questionnaire was prepared to interview the women. The questionnaire consisted of questions to identify the socio economic and demographic status and causes of intimate partner violence. This study aims to find out and understand the effects of IPV the women face in our society and cohere it with social norms and values. The findings indicate that women suffer long term mental and physical health problems caused by intimate partner violence. If a woman has faced severe abuse it ends up having mental and physical impact over the women over a longer period of time.