Who is most at risk for intimate partner violence? A Canadian population-based study.
Whole population studies on intimate partner violence (IPV) have given contradictory information about prevalence and risk factors, especially concerning gender. The authors examined the 1999 Canadian General Social Survey data for gender patterns of physical, sexual, emotional, or financial IPV from a current or ex-partner. More women (8.6%) than men (7.0%, p = .001) reported partner physical abuse in general, physical IPV causing physical injury (p < .0001), sexual abuse (1.7% vs. 0.2%, p < .0001), and financial abuse (4.1% vs. 1.6%, p < .0001). There were no gender differences for partner emotional abuse. Significant risk factors after multivariate modeling for physical/sexual IPV were younger age, being divorced/separated or single, having children in the household, and poor self-rated physical health. These findings from a large, randomly generated data set further refine our understanding of the risk profile for IPV in the developed world.
Romans
Sarah
S
University of Toronto, Canada.
Forte
Tonia
T
Cohen
Marsha M
MM
Du Mont
Janice
J
Hyman
Ilene
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D018585:Battered Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires