Attitudes towards gender roles and prevalence of intimate partner violence perpetrated against pregnant and postnatal women: Differences between women immigrants from conflict-affected countries and women born in Australia

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks; Mohammed Mohsin; Derrick Silove; Jane Fisher; Batool Moussa; Zachary Steel; Heather Nancarrow; Nawal Nadar; Louis Klein; Fatima Hasoun; Mariam Yousif; Batoul Khalil; Yalini Krishna; Susan J Rees

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0255105

Attitudes towards gender roles and prevalence of intimate partner violence perpetrated against pregnant and postnatal women: Differences between women immigrants from conflict-affected countries and women born in Australia

PLoS One. 2021 Jul 30;16(7):e0255105. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255105. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks¹, Mohammed Mohsin^{2

3}, Derrick Silove², Jane Fisher⁴, Batool Moussa², Zachary Steel^{2

5}, Heather Nancarrow⁶, Nawal Nadar², Louis Klein^{2

3}, Fatima Hasoun², Mariam Yousif², Batoul Khalil², Yalini Krishna², Susan J Rees²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America.
² School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Mental Health Academic Unit, Liverpool Hospital, South Western Sydney Area Health Service, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Women and Global Health Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ St John of God Health Care, Richmond Hospital, North Richmond, New South Wales, Australia.
⁶ School of Social Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Background: The aim was to compare, for the first time in a large systematic study, women born in conflict-affected countries who immigrated to Australia with women born in Australia for attitudes towards gender roles and men's use of IPV and the actual prevalence of IPV. The study also examined if any associations remained across the two timepoints of pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods: Women were interviewed during their first visit to one of three Australian public hospital antenatal clinics and re-interviewed at home six months after giving birth. A total of 1111 women completed both interviews, 583 were born in conflict-affected countries and 528 born in Australia. Associations between attitudes towards gender roles and men's use of IPV, socio-demographic characteristics and reported actual experiences of IPV were examined using bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses.

Results: Attitudes toward inequitable gender roles including those that condone men's use of IPV, and prevalence of IPV, were significantly higher (p<0.001) among women born in conflict-affected countries compared to Australia-born women. Women born in conflict-affected countries with the strongest held attitudes towards gender roles and men's use of IPV had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 3.18 for IPV at baseline (95% CI 1.85-5.47) and an aOR of 1.83 for IPV at follow-up (95% CI 1.11-3.01). Women born in Australia with the strongest held attitudes towards gender roles and IPV had an aOR of 7.12 for IPV at baseline (95% CI 2.12-23.92) and an aOR of 10.59 for IPV at follow-up (95% CI 2.21-50.75).

Conclusions: Our results underscore the need for IPV prevention strategies sensitively targeted to communities from conflict-affected countries, and for awareness among clinicians of gender role attitudes that may condone men's use of IPV, and the associated risk of IPV. The study supports the need for culturally informed national strategies to promote gender equality and to challenge practices and attitudes that condone men's violence in spousal relationships.

Publication types

Clinical Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Australia
Emigrants and Immigrants*
Female
Gender Role*
Humans
Male
Parturition*
Pregnancy
Prevalence
Sexual Partners*
Spouse Abuse*

Grants and funding

SR received funds from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.