Sexual violence among married women: Burden and action taken

Abstract

BACKGROUND Sexual violence (SV), the manifestation of social, psychological, and economic subordination of women, has existed since ancient times, but has remained largely hidden. It is now being recognized as important public health concern worldwide carce, mostly incomplete studies indicate that SV is commonly a component of intimate partner violence (IPV). Much of the information, which comes from the police and health services, is under estimates, since only small fraction of women who experience SV reach these services. Available literature reveals that in some countries such as Africa, Ireland, nearly one of four women suffer SV by intimate partner and up to one-third adolescent girls report forced sexual initiation. [1-5] It could be that it is more prevalent in low resource settings due to lack of education, information, cultural differences and that women are not aware of their rights. Despite its prevalence, it has received relatively less attention from the social scientists, practitioners, justice system and the society as a whole. SV as marital rape continues to be debated and women continue to suffer. In World Health Organization (WHO) definition of SV "SV is a serious public health and human rights problem with both short-and long-term consequences on women's physical, mental, and sexual and reproductive health. Whether SV occurs in the context of an intimate partnership, within the larger family or community structure, or during times of conflict, it is a deeply violating and painful experience for the survivor" was used. [6] Research is essential to understand the subject in depth for implementation of policies, which will further lead to prevention and better care of victims. The present study was aimed to look into the magnitude of SV among married women in low resource settings.

Marital Rape and HIV Risk in Uganda: The Impact of Women’s Empowerment Factors

“…Marital rape is recognized as a significant public health concern worldwide that has existed for a long time and has remained mostly hidden and understudied (Chhabra, Namgyal, & Tyag, 2014;Dude, 2011;Finkelhor & Yllo, 1985;Russell, 1982;Yllo & Torres, 2016). The prevalence of marital rape remains high and continues to have severe consequences for women's health and society (Adams-Clark & Chrisler, 2018;Ellsberg et al, 2008).…”

“…Despite its severity and consequences, marital rape has received little attention in sub-Saharan Africa. Violence against women can cause long-term physical and mental health problems and is associated with the high prevalence of HIV among women in sub-Saharan Africa (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012;Chhabra et al, 2014;Jewkes, Dunkle, Nduna, & Shai, 2010;World Health Organization [WHO], 2016;Yllo & Torres, 2016).…”

How is Intimate Partner Violence associated with Sexually Transmitted Infections and Reproductive Tract Infections? A Cross-Sectional Study with Afghan Refugee Women in Iran

“…Regarding assessing the relationship between the prevalence of STI/RTI with some marital/reproductive health indicators of refugee participants, according to our ndings, a higher prevalence of RTI/STI, based on experiencing any STI/RTI-associated symptoms, was found among women who had 'unusual sex' with her partner. Unusual sex is one example of sexual violence that may occur in the context of intimate partnership (47). Individuals who engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as unusual sex, are at greater risk for negative consequences including STIs (48).…”