Intimate partner violence against Palestinian women in Gaza strip: Prevalence and correlates.

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects gravely the victims and is resulting in negative physical and psychological consequences. This paper aimed to determine the prevalence of IPV against women in Gaza strip and associated factors. Moreover, to explore women's seeking behaviors to help. Cross-sectional study. Community internet-based survey was conducted using the Heart Insult Threat Scout questionnaire and the reporting behavior of respondent to violence act. A number of 517 ever married women responded and data were entered and analyzed using SPSS software version 23. About 517 women participated. Of which, 23% (119/517) reported exposure to any types of IPV. Multivariate logistic regression showed factors associated with IPV were as follows: husbands who are drug user (OR = 27.577, CI95%: 5.153-147.591; <i>P</i> < 0.001), husband exposure to violence in childhood (OR = 9.174, CI95%: 4.753-7.727; <i>P</i> > 0.001), and family with a special needs child (OR = 2.956, CI95%: 1.131-8.607; <i>P</i> < 0.05). Approximately, two-thirds of the victims tended to keep silent toward violence and dealt with it as a private and family issue; hence, they hesitated to communicate with others or seek any help to protect themselves. About 23% from the study participants experience violence in their life time. Factors associated with IPV are husband's drug abuse, having a child with special needs, and husband's childhood experience of violence. Qualitative researches are needed to understand the women experience to violence and sociocultural barrier for disclosure.