Intimate Partner Violence Duration Research Articles

Intimate partner violence, suicidality, and self-harm: a probability sample survey of the general population in England

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a recognised risk factor for psychiatric disorders. There is little current evidence on IPV and self-harm and suicidality, and we therefore aimed to investigate the associations between experience of lifetime and past-year IPV with suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, and self-harm in the past year. We analysed the 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a cross-sectional survey of 7058 adults (aged ≥16 years) in England, which used a multistage random probability sampling design and involved face-to-face interviews. Participants were asked about experience of physical violence and sexual, economic, and emotional abuse from a current or former partner, and about suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-harm. Other adversities were recorded through an adapted version of the List of Threatening Experiences. Multivariable logistic regression models quantified associations between different indicators of lifetime and past-year IPV, with past-year non-suicidal self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. All analyses were weighted. Using weighted percentages, we found that a fifth (21·4%) of 7058 adults reported lifetime experience of IPV, and that 27·2% of women and 15·3% of men had experienced IPV. Among women, 19·6% had ever experienced emotional IPV, 18·7% physical IPV, 8·5% economic IPV, and 3·7% sexual IPV, which was higher than in men (8·6%, 9·3%, 3·6%, and 0·3%, respectively). Findings for ethnicity were unclear. Lifetime prevalence of IPV was higher in those living in rented accommodation or deprived neighbourhoods. Among people who had attempted suicide in the past year, 49·7% had ever experienced IPV and 23·1% had experienced IPV in the past year (including 34·8% of women and 9·4% of men). After adjusting for demographics, socioeconomics, and lifetime experience of adversities, the odds ratio of a past-year suicide attempt were 2·82 (95% CI 1·54-5·17) times higher in those who have ever experienced IPV, compared with those who had not. Fully adjusted odds ratios for past-year self-harm (2·20, 95% CI 1·37-3·53) and suicidal thoughts (1·85, 1·39-2·46) were also raised in those who had ever experienced IPV. IPV is common in England, especially among women, and is strongly associated with self-harm and suicidality. People presenting to services in suicidal distress or after self-harm should be asked about IPV. Interventions designed to reduce the prevalence and duration of IPV might protect and improve the lives of people at risk of self-harm and suicide. UK Prevention Research Partnership.

Prevalence of intimate partner violence in Spain: A national cross-sectional survey in primary care

Objectives(1) To analyze the prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence by types. (2) To examine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and Intimate Partner Violence. DesignCross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire. SettingPrimary Healthcare centers in Spain. Participants10,322 women (18–70 years) attending Primary Healthcare centers. Main measurementsA compound index was calculated based on frequency, types, and duration of Intimate Partner Violence. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression models were used to identify the sociodemographic factors, which were independently associated with each Intimate Partner Violence category. ResultsThe prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence was 24.8%. For the physical only category, no differences were observed regarding education or employment status, and women with the highest income have less risk. For the psychological only category, no differences were observed according to the income level. The risk increases as the education level decreases, and the greatest frequency of only psychological Intimate Partner Violence was observed in women who were unemployed or students. For both the physical and psychological category of Intimate Partner Violence, a clear risk increase is observed as income and education levels decrease. Retired women showed the highest frequency of this violence category. ConclusionThe results show that Intimate Partner Violence affects women of all social strata, but the frequency and Intimate Partner Violence category will vary according to the socio-economic.

Correlates of Duration of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Seeking Services at a Domestic Violence Support Center.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) duration may reflect factors preventing women from leaving abusive relationships. Although many studies have analyzed factors associated with IPV occurrence, few studies have evaluated factors associated with IPV duration. This exploratory study examined intake forms completed by 230 women seeking services at an IPV support center over a 2.5-year period, beginning in 2006. These women spent an average of 11 years in abusive relationships during their lives, which was more than twice the lifetime duration of their non-abusive relationships. In a multivariate analysis model, longer lifetime IPV duration was significantly associated with greater age, having children, non-minority racial/ethnic membership, and having no parental IPV history. The current study found that many factors associated with IPV duration were different from factors previously found to be associated with IPV occurrence. Therefore, efforts aimed at preventing IPV occurrence may also need to differ from efforts to limit IPV duration.

Identifying Predictors for Children Witnessing Intimate Partner Violence

Research has shown that intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence and severity is higher and IPV duration is longer among couples that have children. Women frequently report that their children are the reason why they stay, leave, or return to an IPV relationship. Our study used results from a two-wave telephone survey to determine what IPV-associated factors were significant predictors of respondents’ children witnessing IPV, as well as estimating prevalence of children’s exposure to violence. We found that an increase in respondents’ age was significantly associated with increased odds of a child being exposed to violence. We also found that children witnessing violence were almost twice as likely to have mothers who reported leaving abusers. We hypothesize that increasing age corresponds to improved confidence in help-seeking behaviors. Our findings represent an important first step for future research on understanding how children influence IPV victims’ decision-making in seeking out service providers for help.

Social Determinants and Health Effects of Low and High Severity Intimate Partner Violence

We sought to analyze whether the sociodemographic profile of battered women varies according to the level of severity of intimate partner violence (IPV), and to identify possible associations between IPV and different health problems taking into account the severity of these acts. A cross-sectional study of 8,974 women (18-70 years) attending primary healthcare centers in Spain (2006-2007) was performed. A compound index was calculated based on frequency, types (physical, psychological, or both), and duration of IPV. Descriptive and multivariate procedures using logistic regression models were fitted. Women affected by low severity IPV and those affected by high severity IPV were found to have a similar sociodemographic profile. However, divorced women (odds ratio [OR], 8.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.2-20.3), those without tangible support (OR, 6.6; 95% CI, 3.3-13.2), and retired women (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2-6.0) were more likely to report high severity IPV. Women experiencing high severity IPV were also more likely to suffer from poor health than were those who experienced low severity IPV. The distribution of low and high severity IPV seems to be influenced by the social characteristics of the women involved and may be an important indicator for estimating health effects. This evidence may contribute to the design of more effective interventions.

Intimate Partner Violence and Women’s Physical, Mental, and Social Functioning

To describe the relationship between women's health and the timing, type, and duration of intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure. A telephone interview was completed by 3429 women aged 18 to 64 randomly selected from a large health plan, to assess IPV exposure and heath status (response rate 56.4%). Questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the Women's Experience with Battering scale were used to construct IPV exposures: (1) recent (past 5 years) and remote (before past 5 years only) IPV exposure of any type (physical, sexual, or non-physical); (2) recent (past 5 years) IPV exposure to physical and/or sexual or non-physical only; and (3) IPV duration (0 to 2 years, 3 to 10 years, and >10 years). Health outcomes were measured using the Short Form-36 survey (SF-36), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, and the National Institute of Mental Health Presence of Symptoms survey. In adjusted models, compared to women with no IPV in their adult lifetime, more-pronounced adverse health effects were observed for women with recent (vs remote) IPV; for physical and/or sexual (vs non-physical) IPV; and for longer IPV exposure. Compared to women who never experienced IPV, women with any recent IPV (physical, sexual, or non-physical) had higher rates of severe (prevalence ratio [PR]=2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.9-3.6) and minor depressive symptoms (PR=2.3; 95% CI=1.9-2.8); higher number of physical symptoms (mean, 1.0; 95% CI=0.7-1.2); and lower SF-36 mental and social functioning scores (range, 4.3-5.5 points lower across subscales). Women with recent physical and/or sexual IPV were 2.8 times as likely to report fair/poor health, and had SF-36 scores that ranged from 5.3 to 7.8 points lower, increased risk of depressive symptoms (PR=2.6) and severe depressive symptoms (PR=4.0), and more than one additional symptom. Longer duration of IPV was associated with incrementally worse health. Women's health was adversely affected by the proximity, type, and duration of IPV exposure.