Intimate Partner Violence and Pregnancy Termination among Tajikistan Women: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data

Abstract

Intimate partner violence is the most common kind of violence and a significant public health issue. The relationship between intimate partner violence and pregnancy termination among Tajikistan women was investigated in this study. The data for this research was collected from the Tajikistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017. This research has used the data of married women aged between 15 to 49 years. The findings from the study indicate that around 23.2% of married women in Tajikistan have experienced physical violence. The respondent’s age, region, and employment status was significantly associated with pregnancy termination (p < 0.05). Similarly, women who can refuse sex with their partner and ask their partner to use a condom are more likely to terminate pregnancy (p < 0.05). The characteristics of the husband or partner that had a significant positive association with pregnancy termination of married women in Tajikistan are age, educational level, and alcohol drinking status of their husbands (p < 0.05). This study also establishes the significant relationship between pregnancy termination and physical or emotional violence experienced by women (p < 0.05). The dynamics of domestic abuse need to be understood by healthcare providers to aid women in making decisions on whether or not to terminate their pregnancy.

Intimate partner violence against women of reproductive age and associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ethiopia, 2021: A community-based cross-sectional study

“…As well, quarantine, fear of infection, the chaos of social networks, reduced access to health and social services, distress, misinformation, income shortage, financial loss, job loss, and limited social support are likely to raise risks of IPV in the pandemic ( 25 – 27 ). This evidence is supported by a study done in Tajikistan, which stated that intimate partner violence is significantly associated with no or primary educational status and husbands who have alcohol-drinking habits ( 71 ).…”

“…A finding from Tajikistan showed that the prevalence of physical, emotional, and sexual violence was 23.2%, 15.5%, and 1.7%, respectively. In this study, the educational level and alcohol-drinking status of husbands were significantly associated with intimate partner violence ( 71 ).…”

Gender-Based Violence is a Never to be Forgotten Social Determinant of Health: A Narrative Literature Review

“…An understudied and underestimated phenomenon is also violence in pregnancy. Widespread is the stereotype that pregnancy has a protective function with respect to violence [18][19][20]. The data, however, contradict this reality.…”

Evaluating the impact of the Mellow Babies group-based parenting programme for supporting at-risk mothers in Tajikistan

“…Further, the high levels of migration mean that Tajik wives are vulnerable to being separated from their husbands, having little-to-no financial or social support, and often left dependent on their in-laws (30). Evidence suggests that Tajik women are at high risk of domestic violence at the hands of their husband/in-laws and at least 23% of married women have experienced domestic violence (31). Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a major problem in Tajikistan, driven by conservative gender norms, the culturally ascribed position of young women, and poverty, although there is evidence for the effectiveness of violence reduction programmes (30).…”