title: Strategic responses to intimate partner violence against women in Spain: a national study in primary care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research on women''s responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) has largely been limited to women who have been exposed to severe physical violence with scarce generalisation. This study aimed to analyse how Spanish abused women from different backgrounds and with different IPV characteristics respond to violence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women experiencing IPV before the previous year (1469) were selected from a large cross-sectional national survey of adult women recruited during 2006-7 among female patients seeking medical care for whatever reason in primary healthcare services. The outcome variables were women's responses to IPV and the predictor variables were personal and social resources profiles and characteristics of the abuse (type, duration and women's age at onset). Stepwise logistic regression models were fitted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  87.5% of abused women took some kind of action to overcome IPV. Significant differences on personal and social profile and type and duration of the abuse were detected between the three strategic responses: distancing, in process and inhibition. The probability of a woman responding with a distancing strategy (seeking outside help or leaving temporarily) is almost three times greater if she is employed, was young when the abuse began, had experienced physical and psychological abuse and when the abuse was under 5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that personal and social resources and the specific circumstances of the abuse should be taken into account to understand women's responses to IPV. Well-validated interventions targeted at abused women's needs and the circumstances of IPV remain a priority.
authors.affiliation: University of Valencia, Psychiatric Unit, Avda Blasco Ibañez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain. isabel.montero@uv.es
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Montero
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Pérez
authors.forename: Vicenta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Escribà-Agüir
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vives-Cases
authors.forename: Juncal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plazaola-Castaño
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martín-Baena
authors.forename: Rosana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peiró
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012649:Self Concept; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data