Frequency and Correlates of Spouse Abuse by Type: Physical, Sexual and Psychological Battering Among a Sample of Iranian Women

Abstract

Introduction Violence against women is one of the main, yet neglected, social problem in many countries. Unpublished reports and other anecdotes suggest a high rate of violence against women in Iran. This preliminary study was developed to examine the frequency and correlates of physical, sexual, and psychological violence against women in this country. Materials and MethodsThe study undertook structured interviews to identify the women who were abused by their spouse. This study was performed in two phases. The first phase involved the clarification of the concept of spouse abuse, designing a survey instrument, and fine-tuning the survey instrument through validity and reliability testing. The second phase consisted of the recruitment process through a multistage sampling method and administration of the survey instrument. Results In total, 650 women consented to participate in this study. Thirty nine percent of women were victims of physical violence. Thirty percent of participants were frequently insulted and 24% of women were sometimes threatened by their husbands. The rate of physical violence decreased as the education level of either spouses increased. Twenty three percent of women believed that their husbands had the right to exert violence against them. Discussion Factors such as erroneous beliefs and traditions, gender inequality, lack of social support for abused women, low education level, and women's lack of knowledge about their rights play an important role in extending this social dilemma. Empowering women through education, increased access to financial services, and increased participation in decision making; and increasing public awareness of human rights through education and awareness campaigns are keys in dealing with violence against women in Iran.

Are the Predictors of Sexual Violence the Same as Those of Nonsexual Violence? A Gender Analysis

“…A research showed that male‐perpetrated marital violence was likely to give rise to increased women's risk of anxiety, whereas female‐perpetrated marital violence did not cause this consequence for men [39]. In Iran, a single survey stated that 39% of women were victims of physical violence by their husbands [4].…”

“…It seems that the high rate of violence in Islamic countries is more associated with cultural backgrounds than religious identity [51]. This can be explained by the high rates of intimate violence in many non-Islamic Asian countries such as Japan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India [4]. Some believe that intimate violence is a global problem that occurs regardless of culture, ethnicity, orientation, or socioeconomic status [4].…”

“…Marital violence is one of the main, yet neglected, social concerns of recent times, and leads to health consequences as severe as disabilities and death. However, the extent of its social and psychological complications has not been completely identified [4].…”

“…In a survey in the Iranian capital, Tehran, one study reported that 30% of the respondents were frequently insulted and 24% of the women were sometimes threatened by their husbands [4]. Another study reported that 50.9% of its female subjects had been exposed to at least one form of violence (36.1% physical and 19.6% psychological, not sexual) by their husbands [12].…”

Family process and structure, attachment style, and emotional intelligence in runaway girls

“…Children and teenagers may also leave home and run away due to numerous reasons including intrapersonal and interpersonal ones (coping skills and problem-solving), avoidance of constant blame and repeated humiliations, death of parents, parental violence, lack of relationship between members, rejection, and inconsistency with values. Thus, girls my select streets as a way to run away from difficulties (religious beliefs), extremism by parents in terms of religion, parental control (cohesion, family respect, and communication skills), inefficient parent-child relationships, inappropriate emotional environment in family, severe conflicts and quarrels between parents, poor interpersonal relationships between parents and children, experience of physical and mental violence by parent, as well as a sense of alienation and loneliness at home (31)(32)(33).…”