Intimate Partner Violence In Spain Research Articles

Estado de salud y violencia contra la mujer en la pareja

ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Spain in the last year and at some point during the lifetime, to determine health status in women according to whether they had experienced IPV or not, and to analyze the individual variables associated with IPV in Spain. MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed of the database, Macrosurvey on Gender Violence in Spain 2011. This database includes data on 7,898 women older than 18 years old. The dependent variables were IPV-last year, IPV-ever in life. Covariates consisted of sociodemographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, maternal experience of IPV, social support, and self-care. The measure of association used was the OR with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). ResultsA total of 3.6% of women had experienced IPV-last year and 12.2% ever in life. Female victims of IPV had poorer health than women who had not experienced IPV. Immigrant women living in Spain for 6 years or more were more likely to experience IPV-ever in life than Spanish women [OR (95% CI): 1.95 (1.50, 2.53)]. An interaction was found between nationality and the existence of children under 18 years old. Among women with children under 18 years old, immigrant women were more likely to experience IPV-last year than Spanish women [OR (95% CI): 1.99 (1.25, 3.17)]. Other variables associated with IPV were age, low socioeconomic status, low social support and having a mother who had experienced IPV. ConclusionsIn Spain, some women have a higher probability of experiencing IPV. The variables associated with greater vulnerability to IPV should be taken into account when implementing measures to prevent or alleviate IPV.

Difficulties, skills and therapy strategies in interventions with court-ordered batterers in Spain

As a consequence of its coercive context, psychological interventions with men convicted of intimate partner violence in Spain involve a series of challenges in the design and development of the therapy program. This article reviews the main international contributions that have considered the difficulties produced by the context and analyzes the most important skills that the therapist can utilize in order to facilitate the therapeutic process. The difficulties have been grouped in accordance with origin: (a) difficulties derived from the context of the intervention; (b) the characteristics of the offender; (c) the therapist. The principal skills and strategies of the therapist seem to be related to the clear definition of the intervention context, the management of therapeutic relationship and the therapist's capacity for analysis and reflection. Finally, this work recognizes the need for research projects that focus on the therapist and aspects of the therapeutic process that could optimize the implementation of therapist training actions and improve treatment results.

Intimate partner violence in Spain (1975-2006)

Abstract In this article, I examine how gender-based violence has been framed in Spanish legal, social and cultural discourses since the fall of the dictatorship. Prior to 1997, far less attention was paid to intimate partner abuse than in most other democratic states. In the last ten years, this situation has been reversed. There has been heavy media coverage, and new legislation that adopts an holistic approach to the problem. I will attempt to place these changes in context and to provide extensive bibliographical information for those readers seeking information in more specialised fields. Resumen En este articulo examino los discursos legales, sociales y culturales que, desde la caida de la dictadura, se han utilizado en Espana para abordar la cuestion de la violencia de genero. Antes de 1997, se prestaba mucho menos atencion a los malos tratos dentro del ambito de la pareja que en la mayoria de los demas estados democraticos. Durante los ultimos diez anos se ha producido una inversion de esta situacion. El asunto se ha convertido en un tema candente para los medios y una nueva ley ha planteado el problema desde una optica multidisciplinar. Propongo contextualizar estos cambios y ofrecer una amplia relacion bibliograficica para aquellos lectores que busquen informacion sobre campos mas especificos.

La violencia contra la mujer en la pareja. Un estudio en el ámbito de la atención primaria

Objectives To determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a sample of women attending primary care centers for any reason and to analyze the characteristics of this violence. Methods A cross sectional study was performed in 23 primary care centers in three regions of Spain (Andalusia, Madrid and Valencia). The sample included 1,402 randomly selected adult women aged between 18 and 65 years attending these centers. Among the variables collected through a self-administered questionnaire were the existence of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and its timing, duration, and frequency. Results Overall, 32% had experienced some type of IPV. By type, 7% had experienced both physical and emotional IPV, 14% had experienced emotional IPV, 3% had experienced emotional and sexual IPV, and 6% had suffered all 3 types of IPV. Among the latter, 52% had experienced abuse for more than 5 years. Women who experienced abuse in a previous relationship had a greater probability of being abused by a new intimate partner (OR = 3.30; 95% CI, 2.10-5.18). Conclusions These results show the scale of IPV in Spain. Health professionals play an important role in IPV, as they are in a privileged position to tackle this serious public health problem.

Intimate partner violence: social and health determinants and responses

The present study aims to review the problem of intimate partner violence, as well as its causes and consequences. It will also specifically analyze the role of health professionals. In opposition to the classical epidemiological view of risk factors, Heise proposes an ecological framework to study violence against women. This framework analyzes the interplay among the personal, situational and sociocultural factors that combine to cause abuse. Regarding the frequency of intimate partner violence in Spain, in January 2003 there were 2.519 formal complaints and 69 women died between January and November 2003. No geographical patterns in mortality or the incidence of formal complaints of intimate partner violence or among the provinces with the highest incidence of formal complains and those with highest mortality were observed. The only national survey published in Spain was performed by the Women's Institute in 1999, which reported a prevalence of domestic violence of 9.2%. A frequency of 22.8% was found in a primary health care center in Granada. Health services can play a key role in helping victims of domestic violence, since most women contact the health services at some time in their lives. Professionals in administrative or managerial positions can contribute to raising awareness of this health problem, which is one of the main causes of poor health and disability. Evidently, beyond consciousness-raising and early detection campaigns, public health strategies should be designed to prevent this serious health problem the causes of which can be changed.

Intimate partner violence in Spain

OBJECTIVE: To estimate mortality and the incidence of formal complaints of intimate partner violence (IPV) by age groups and Spanish provinces. METHODS: We performed a descriptive, epidemiological study of murders by intimate partners registered in the database of the Divorced and Separated Women's Federation (1998-2001) and of formal complaints of IPV in The Home Affairs database (1997-2000). The percentage of increase in formal complaints and deaths and the individual risk of dying from IPV and of reporting this crime was calculated through the simple accumulative method, specific mortality rates by age, average rates by provinces, and specific incidence rates of formal complaints of IPV by provinces. Finally, a simple regression analysis was performed to assess the relation between mortality and the incidence of formal complaints of IPV. RESULTS: Between the first and the last year of the study, formal complaints increased by 27% and murders increased by 49%. In Spain, during the period analyzed, one out of every 100,000 women was murdered by an intimate partner and one out of every 200 women reported IPV. Women aged 22-41 years and those aged 82-86 years presented the highest rates of mortality from IPV. Mortality from IPV and the incidence of formal complaints of IPV showed no clear geographical pattern. No correlation between mortality and the incidence of formal complaints of IPV by provinces was found (corrected r2 = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: IPV is an increasing public health problem in Spain. There seems to be a bimodal curve by age in mortality from IPV, but no geographical patterns in mortality and the incidence of formal complaints of IPV or between the provinces with the highest incidence of formal complains and those with highest mortality were observed. Language: es

Intimate Partner Violence in Spain

This article summarizes the findings from the first nationally representative survey on intimate partner violence conducted in Spain. Although feminist groups have been very active in the advocacy of solutions for this problem in Spain for the past two decades, it was not until 1997 that the problem received general attention from the public, after a particularly dramatic case of wife abuse shocked Spanish society. The article also raises questions about the measurement of violence against women and argues that it is crucial to incorporate questions about the subjective perception of the abuse. The findings show that sexual abuse in intimate relationships is as prevalent and serious as other forms of abuse. They also show that women suffering sexual abuse are less likely to define themselves as victims of abuse.