Correlates of violent response among Peruvian women abused by an intimate partner.
The authors sought to identify correlates of violent response among women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in Lima, Peru. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on exposure to IPV and women's physical violent reaction towards their abuser. Women who were sexually abused by their partners, as compared with women who experienced emotional abuse only, were more than twice as likely to respond in a violent manner to the abuse (OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.14-4.74). Similarly, women who reported being physically abused, were 4 times as likely than those who experienced emotional abuse only to retaliate in a physically violent manner (OR = 4.04, 95% CI = 2.68-6.11). Women's educational status, history of witnessing parental violence as a child, and type of IPV are significantly associated with women's violent response. Community support networks and culturally appropriate intervention programs designed to prevent and mitigate the impact of IPV are needed.
Gelaye
Bizu
B
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. mirt@u.washington.edu
Lam
Nelly
N
Cripe
Swee May
SM
Sanchez
Sixto E
SE
Williams
Michelle A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003068:Coercion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult