Domestic Violence in Married Women of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Pakistan; A Mixed Method Study

Authors

  • Nadia Tariq Department of Community Medicine, Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Pakistan
  • Sadia Zafar Department of Community Medicine, Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Pakistan
  • Shehla Farhin Department of Community Medicine, Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Pakistan
  • Farah Rashid Department of Community Medicine, Federal Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Pakistan
  • Tamkeen Nishat Jaffry Department of Community Medicine, National University of Medical Sciences, Islamabad Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v73i4.9205

Keywords:

Abuse, Domestic violence, Socio-demographic factors

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the frequency of domestic violence among women of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, its associated sociodemographic risk factors, and explore its reasons.

Study Design: Mixed Method study.

Place and Duration of Study: Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Pakistan from Feb to Jul, 2021.

Methodology: Two hundred and eight married women of Rawalpindi/Islamabad were selected. Data was collected through a pre-tested structured questionnaire. A focal group discussion was carried out in a group of 10 women to explore the reasons for domestic violence, and themes were created.

Result: The mean age of the participants was 33.6±8.63 years. The frequency of verbal, physical and emotional abuse was 102(49%), 108(51.9%) and 152(73.1%), respectively. The most commonly reported verbal abuse was abusive language. Physical abuse was slapping and emotional abuse was taking decisions without the wife’s consent. There was a strong association between verbal and physical abuse with family income and women's and husbands’ education. Significant reasons for abuse were the husband not earning, unfulfilled wish for a male child, interference from in-laws and drug addiction.

Conclusion: Verbal, physical and emotional abuse were high. Women or husband education and family were significant determinants of all forms of abuse. In contrast, jobless husbands, drug addicts, interfering in-laws and unfulfilled wishes for the male children were the perceived reasons for abuse.

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Published

31-08-2023

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

1.
Tariq N, Zafar S, Farhin S, Rashid F, Jaffry TN. Domestic Violence in Married Women of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Pakistan; A Mixed Method Study. Pak Armed Forces Med J [Internet]. 2023 Aug. 31 [cited 2024 Oct. 15];73(4):1177-81. Available from: https://www.pafmj.org/PAFMJ/article/view/9205