Attitudes towards gender roles and prevalence of intimate partner violence perpetrated against pregnant and postnatal women: Differences between women immigrants from conflict-affected countries and women born in Australia

Abstract

Background The aim was to compare, for the first time in a large systematic study, women born in conflict-affected countries who immigrated to Australia with women born in Australia for attitudes towards gender roles and men’s use of IPV and the actual prevalence of IPV. The study also examined if any associations remained across the two timepoints of pregnancy and postpartum. Methods Women were interviewed during their first visit to one of three Australian public hospital antenatal clinics and re-interviewed at home six months after giving birth. A total of 1111 women completed both interviews, 583 were born in conflict-affected countries and 528 born in Australia. Associations between attitudes towards gender roles and men’s use of IPV, socio-demographic characteristics and reported actual experiences of IPV were examined using bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results Attitudes toward inequitable gender roles including those that condone men’s use of IPV, and prevalence of IPV, were significantly higher (p<0.001) among women born in conflict-affected countries compared to Australia-born women. Women born in conflict-affected countries with the strongest held attitudes towards gender roles and men’s use of IPV had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 3.18 for IPV at baseline (95% CI 1.85–5.47) and an aOR of 1.83 for IPV at follow-up (95% CI 1.11–3.01). Women born in Australia with the strongest held attitudes towards gender roles and IPV had an aOR of 7.12 for IPV at baseline (95% CI 2.12–23.92) and an aOR of 10.59 for IPV at follow-up (95% CI 2.21–50.75). Conclusions Our results underscore the need for IPV prevention strategies sensitively targeted to communities from conflict-affected countries, and for awareness among clinicians of gender role attitudes that may condone men’s use of IPV, and the associated risk of IPV. The study supports the need for culturally informed national strategies to promote gender equality and to challenge practices and attitudes that condone men’s violence in spousal relationships.

Factors contributing to the high prevalence of intimate partner violence among south Sudanese refugee women in Ethiopia

“…A study among Rohingya refugees indicated a high magnitude of normalization of wife beating and association of such beliefs with IPV [ 51 ]. In addition, a study among refugee women in Australia also showed the importance of attitude on gender roles as an important factor for experiencing IPV [ 52 ]. Attitudinal acceptance entails normalization and tolerance of abusive behaviors of the intimate partner.…”

“…Woman with attitudinal acceptance of IPV and normalization of partner abuse may signal the message of weakness, helplessness and impunity. Women who have attitudinal normalization of violence blame themselves and are less likely to report the incidents of violence to authorities [ 52 ].…”

Cohort profile: intimate partner violence and mental health among women from refugee background and a comparison group of Australian-born – the WATCH cohort study

“…Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and gender role attitudes and beliefs with IPV were examined from two time points using bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses (this paper is recently published). 29 CMDs at times 1-3 Prevalence of MDD at all three time points was significantly higher for refugee-background women as compared with women born in Australia. The trend data (times 1-3) show that prevalence of MDD among Australian-born women significantly declined from 14.5% at time 1 to 9.9% at time 3, while for refugeebackground women, this rate fluctuated, initially significantly declined from 25.1% at time 1 to 17.3% at time 2 and then increased to 19.1% at time 3 (table 2).…”