Intimate partner violence against Palestinian women in Gaza strip: Prevalence and correlates

Suha Baloushah; Raziyeh Maasoumi; Farideh Khalajabadi Farahani; Khalid Jamal Khadoura; Aymen Elsous

doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_498_19

Intimate partner violence against Palestinian women in Gaza strip: Prevalence and correlates

J Family Med Prim Care. 2019 Nov 15;8(11):3621-3626. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_498_19. eCollection 2019 Nov.

Authors

Suha Baloushah¹, Raziyeh Maasoumi², Farideh Khalajabadi Farahani³, Khalid Jamal Khadoura⁴, Aymen Elsous⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Science International Campus, Tehran, Iran.
² Department of Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
³ Population Studies and Reproductive Health Department, National Population Studies Comprehensive Management Institute, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, Public Health School, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Professions, Israa University, Gaza Strip, Palestine.

Abstract

Context: Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects gravely the victims and is resulting in negative physical and psychological consequences.

Aims: This paper aimed to determine the prevalence of IPV against women in Gaza strip and associated factors. Moreover, to explore women's seeking behaviors to help.

Settings and design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods and materials: Community internet-based survey was conducted using the Heart Insult Threat Scout questionnaire and the reporting behavior of respondent to violence act.

Statistical analysis used: A number of 517 ever married women responded and data were entered and analyzed using SPSS software version 23.

Results: About 517 women participated. Of which, 23% (119/517) reported exposure to any types of IPV. Multivariate logistic regression showed factors associated with IPV were as follows: husbands who are drug user (OR = 27.577, CI95%: 5.153-147.591; P < 0.001), husband exposure to violence in childhood (OR = 9.174, CI95%: 4.753-7.727; P > 0.001), and family with a special needs child (OR = 2.956, CI95%: 1.131-8.607; P < 0.05). Approximately, two-thirds of the victims tended to keep silent toward violence and dealt with it as a private and family issue; hence, they hesitated to communicate with others or seek any help to protect themselves.

Conclusions: About 23% from the study participants experience violence in their life time. Factors associated with IPV are husband's drug abuse, having a child with special needs, and husband's childhood experience of violence. Qualitative researches are needed to understand the women experience to violence and sociocultural barrier for disclosure.

Keywords: Gaza Strip; intimate partner violence; prevalence; women.