Determinants of Violence Types among Reproductive Age Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in Sarab City

Violence against reproductive age women harms other health prioritiesو such as family planning and maternal health. This study aimed to identify the determinants of violence among reproductive age women.

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 182 married women, 15-49 years old in Sarab City, Iran, through simple random sampling in 2018. Data were collected by a self-designed questionnaire including demographic characteristics, physical, psychological, verbal, economic, and sexual violence. Then, it was analyzed using an independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson Correlation, and multivariate linear regression.

The prevalence of physical, psychological, sexual, economic and verbal violence in women was11 (6%), 14(7.7%), 18(9.9%), 24(13.2%), and 37(20.3%), respectively. Husband's older age and husband's older age of marriage increased (B=0.14, 95% CI= 0.00 to 0.28) and decreased (B= -1.17, CI= -0.27 to -0.06) verbal violence against women. Illiteracy in spouses reduced physical violence (B=-2.43, CI= -4.58 to -0.27) and sexual violence (B= -1.62, CI= -3.08 to -0.16) and in women, it reduced psychological violence (B=-2.63, CI= -4.81 to -0.45). Spousal smoking reduced physical (B= -0.97, CI= -1.78 to -0.17), psychological (B= -1.17, CI= -2.01 to -0.33), and verbal (B= -1.22, CI= - 1.96 to -0.48) violence; however, women's alcoholism (B= 7.31, CI= 0.27 to 4.43) and having children from a previous marriage of the woman (B= 0.06, CI=0.04 to 1.16) increased physical violence. The highest economic violence was seen in female employees (B= 1.31, CI=0.35 to 2.27). Psychological (B= -4.92, CI= -7.89 to -1.49) and sexual (B= -2.16, CI= - 4.09 to -0.22) violence was less experienced in men's second marriage.

Considering the high prevalence of verbal violence and related factors, conducting the necessary screenings to recognize it in time, teaching communication skills and anger management to husbands seems essential.