Acceptability of Women to Intimate Partner Violence and Its Correlates Among Attendants of Maternal and Child Center in Assiut

Acceptability of Women to Intimate Partner Violence and Its Correlates Among Attendants of Maternal and Child Health Center in Assiut City

identify acceptability of ever married women against intimate partner violence and its correlates among women attending primary health care in Assiut city.

Violence against women is a major public health problem . World Health Organization estimates that globally 30% of women have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence(IPV) or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

IPV refers to any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm to those in the relationship. IPV definition covers violence by both current and former spouses and partners. Forms of intimate partner violence include: Acts of physical violence, sexual violence, emotional (psychological) abuse, and controlling behaviors.

Initial studies on IPV against women tended to concentrate on assessment of incidence and prevalence. Although prevalence is critical, reducing or eliminating some problems also requires comprehension of cultural norms and expectations.

An ecological approach showed that public attitudes accepting or justifying violence and aggression are a risk factor at a macro social level, as they can encourage or deter its occurrence in societies.

UN Women reported that among Egyptian women in reproductive age, the prevalence of lifetime physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence was 26% and the prevalence of physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence in the last 12 months was 14 %.

The Egyptian studies that assessed attitudes of acceptability of IPV and their predictors has explored acceptability to only one form of IPV. Using a single-item measures, they measured justification for the husband's use of more severe physical force in response to the wife's violation of expected domestic roles or his patriarchal control in marriage.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ever married women (current married women and who were married since one year) who seek health services at MCH center.

Exclusion Criteria:

• single women not previously married
• and women who were married since more than one year