Intimate Partner Violence in Belgium: Prevalence, Individual Health Outcomes, and Relational Correlates

Abstract

The last decades, there has been an intensification of research on intimate partner violence (IPV) at both international as well as national levels 1 . Specifically in Belgium, two large representative population-based studies have already been conducted on IPV. The first study dates from 1988 and only analyzed violence against women (Vandewege, Bruynooghe, & Opdebeeck, 1988). The second study was extended to men (Bruynooghe, Nolanders, & Opdebeeck, 1998). As the most recent prevalence rates date from more than ten years ago, the major aim of the current study was to provide up-to-date national IPV prevalence estimates. In addition, this study further expands the knowledge on two topics that have only recently gained more research attention. These include the involvement of men as victims, which still remains a controversial research topic, and the examination of psychological IPV. Alongside registering the occurrence of IPV, we aimed to examine both the individual and relational well-being among IPV victims. Prevalence Research on Intimate Partner ViolenceThe World Health Organization (WHO, 2010) refers to IPV as "behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, Hellemans, S et al. (2014) Research on intimate partner violence (IPV) using national samples is important to guide prevention efforts. However, the latest prevalence estimates for Belgium date from more than ten years ago. Therefore, this study used population-based cross-sectional data (N = 1,472) to assess to what extent adult women and men in Belgium experienced psychological, physical or sexual violence from their current partner in the last year. Next to assessing the association with individual health correlates, we explored the association between IPV and relationship quality. The annual prevalence of physical IPV in a current relationship was 1.3%. Only women experienced sexual IPV (0.3%). Fourteen percent of the respondents reported psychological violence and no differences were noted between women and men. Victims of psychological IPV reported adverse mental health outcomes and the effect was stronger for women than for men. Additionally, psychological victimization was associated with a diminished level of relationship quality, but no gender differences were noted.. Intimate Partner Violence in Belgium: Prevalence, Individual Health Outcomes, and Relational Correlates. Psychologica Belgica 54(1), 79-96, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334ψ

Prevalência de violência por parceiro íntimo em idosos e fatores associados: revisão sistemática

“…Of the 19 papers selected, 15 included in their samples adults and elderly 4,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] and four only elderly 10,[35][36][37] . Five studies 4,24,25,29,33 stratified the prevalence by age group, thus identifying IPV among the elderly.…”

“…Papers included were published between 2004 and 2015, more frequently in the period 2012-2015 4,10,[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] ; surveys between 2004 and 2010 [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][32][33][34]36 predominated. There was a higher concentration of studies in Europe 4,26,29,31,34,35 and the United States 21,25,27,29,31,37 ; Brazil only had two studies 10,22 .…”

“…There was a higher concentration of studies in Europe 4,26,29,31,34,35 and the United States 21,25,27,29,31,37 ; Brazil only had two studies 10,22 . In 11 studies 10,23,25,28,29,[31][32][33]36,37 , respondents were men and women concomitantly, others included only women, and there were no studies with men alone. The sample size varied from 356 to 70,156 respondents.…”

“…The most widely used tool for measuring violence was the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS), versions 1, 2 and adaptations 4,10,22,23,27,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] . The violence recall period varied, and the last 12 months was the most widely used 4,10,21,22,24,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33]36,37 , followed by "in lifetime" 25,26,34 .…”

“…The violence recall period varied, and the last 12 months was the most widely used 4,10,21,22,24,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33]36,37 , followed by "in lifetime" 25,26,34 . The main characteristics of the studies are summarized and shown in Chart 1.…”