Women’s Views About Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Abstract

Violence against women is an urgent health priority in Iran. Designing effective programs for preventing and controlling the problem necessitates a thorough understanding of Iranian women and their perspectives regarding domestic violence. This study was aimed at exploring the domestic violence-related views of married women who were referred to health care facilities in Ahvaz, Iran. In this qualitative research, data were collected through four focus group discussions with 30 married women. All the discussions were recorded and transcribed, after which the data were classified separately. The main themes and subthemes were then manually derived from the data and analyzed. The five main themes identified were domestic violence against women in Ahvaz, behavioral influencing factors, nonbehavioral influencing factors, the necessity to empower women to prevent domestic violence, and recommendations for developing special training programs for Ahvazi women. Most of the participants were aware that domestic violence against women is a common occurrence in Iran. They were well aware of the definition of violence and expressed a belief that behavioral factors exert an important effect on the occurrence of the problem. They recommended the development of appropriate training programs that empower women to prevent the problem, the use of mass media to educate citizens about domestic violence, and the involvement of opinion leaders in eliminating the taboo against considering such violence a crime against Iranian women. Considering the views and ideas of women as consumers of educational services is a principle used to develop effective programs for preventing and controlling domestic violence. As indicated by the findings, the participants believe that empowering women must be treated as a priority in the Iranian health care system. However, they recommended differing approaches and methods of empowerment on the basis of their individual views and concerns.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of a Reproductive Health need Assessment Scale for violated Women

“…Regardless of geographical location, color, gender, and culture, violence is a global health problem [2,[6][7][8][9][10] and one of the main manifestations of gender inequality. It is a major obstacle to the attainment of international reproductive health goals since it is directly related to women's access to health care [11].…”

“…The identi cation of the relationship between intimate partner violence and reproductive health is of paramount importance for health promotion. In this regard, one of the primary healthcare services should be the empowerment of violated women to seek reproductive health care [2,11]. The impact of violence on health is widely recognized and the results of various studies pointed to the negative effect of violence on women's general health and reproductive health.…”

“…Various studies emphasize the high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its adverse health effects [1,2]. In the United States, on average, one in three women experience physical abuse [2], and according to statistics, about 38% of female homicides are committed by intimate partners [3].…”

“…Various studies emphasize the high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its adverse health effects [1,2]. In the United States, on average, one in three women experience physical abuse [2], and according to statistics, about 38% of female homicides are committed by intimate partners [3]. The majority of women who experience intimate partner violence tend to hide it due to the following reasons: concerns about their safety and that of their children, fear of family and social rejection, economic problems, fear of losing respect and social status, fear of not being believed by society, as well as emotional dependence on and love of the spouse [3][4][5].…”

Intimate Partner Violence among Sample of Married Women Attending Primary Health Care Center in Al-Russafa Sector, 2018

“…The family is the first social institution in which personality is shaped and thereby determines the acceptance of values and social norms and their transfer to other social institutions. Despite the important role of this institution in ensuring the safety of individuals, however, it can also be a source of a commonly occurring problem, namely, domestic violence (2) .…”