Investigating violence and control dyadically in a help-seeking sample from Mozambique.

Nicola Graham-Kevan,Joaquim J F Soares,Antonio Eugenio Zacarias

doi:10.1100/2012/590973

Nicola Graham-Kevan, Joaquim J F Soares + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1100/2012/590973

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Abstract

A sample of 1442 women attending a Forensic Healthcare Service provided information on their own and their partners' use of controlling behaviors, partner violence, and sexual abuse, as well as their own experiences of childhood abuse. Using Johnson's typology, the relationships were categorized as Nonviolent, Intimate Terrorism, or Situational Couple Violence. Findings suggest that help-seeking women's experiences of intimate violence may be diverse, with their roles ranging from victim to perpetrator.

Highlights

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a source of major concern around the world
The proportions of women and men using any act of psychological aggression towards their partners were 64% of women and 65% of men according to the women sampled
The proportions of women and men using any act of sexual aggression towards their partners were 39% of women and 51% of men according to the reports of the women sampled

Summary

Introduction

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a source of major concern around the world. It is a pervasive problem, poses serious financial threats, has negative effects on intimacy, and causes high rates of morbidity and mortality (e.g., [1, 2]). Prevalence rates for sexual assault against women vary by study and time period, during the past 5 years ranging from 0.8 to 4.5%, the past 12 months from 9.1 to 44.4%, and ever abused from 16.5 to 58.6% [1, 2, 4,5,6, 11, 12] The prevalence of verbal/emotional abuse during the past 12 months and life-time may be as high as 31.3% and 50%, respectively [4, 8]. In a recent report concerning violence in 7 Sub-Saharan African countries, the rates of cooccurring physical/sexual abuse ranged from 6.8 to 24.4% and emotional/physical/sexual from 3.6 to 8.3% [4] (Cameron, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.)

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