Predictors of intimate partner violence among pregnant women

Exercise Addiction and Intimate Partner Violence: The Role of Impulsivity, Self-Esteem, and Emotional Dependence

Given the scarcity of studies linking exercise addiction to intimate partner violence, the present study aims to analyze the relationship between these variables and examine the potential mediating roles of emotional dependence, impulsivity, and self-esteem. This is a non-experimental, cross-sectional correlational design study. The sample comprised 887 university students (86% women, mean age 20.82 years, SD = 3.63). Elevated levels of exercise addiction were associated with increased impulsivity, emotional dependence, and exerted violence, as well as decreased self-esteem and perceived violence. Mediation models were tested, explaining 7% of the variance in received violence, 13% of the variance in exerted violence, and 6% of the variance in perceived violence. Higher levels of exercise addiction were linked to increased received and exerted violence and decreased perceived violence, attributed to the positive impact of exercise addiction on emotional dependence. This study highlights the mediating roles of self-esteem and impulsivity in the relationship between exercise addiction and partner violence. Identifying risk or vulnerability factors such as emotional dependence, impulsivity, and self-esteem related to exercise addiction and interpersonal partner violence is especially relevant for designing and implementing preventive interventions in the general young population.

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy among married women in Putalibajar municipality, Nepal

Introduction

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy (IPVDP) is increasingly being recognized as a significant problem in the developing world due to its adverse health consequences on both pregnant women and children. The objective of the study is to measure the magnitude of intimate partner violence during pregnancy and the factors associated with IPVDP.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 263 married women in their extended postpartum period between October 2019 and March 2020 in Putalibajar municipality, Nepal. A face-to-face interview was conducted and data were collected using an interview schedule. A Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to examine the association between IPVDP and the independent variables.

Results

Among the 263 women interviewed, 30% experienced IPV during pregnancy, the most common type of violence was controlling behavior (20.2%) followed by emotional (18.6%), sexual (10.6%), economic (6.1%), and physical violence (5.3%). It was observed that IPV was more likely to occur among women whose husbands consumed alcohol (AOR = 3.171; CI 95%: 1.588-9.167), women whose husbands consumed tobacco (AOR =3.815; CI 95%: 2.157-7.265), women who sometimes received family support during pregnancy (AOR =2.948; CI 95%: 1.115-7.793) and women who did not decide on marriage timing (AOR =2.777; CI 95%: 1.331-5.792).

Conclusion

Three out of ten pregnant women experienced IPVDP. To prevent violence, and ensure women's empowerment, formulating strict laws and discouraging the element of a violent milieu is important.

Prevalence of intimate partner violence victimization among Korean perinatal women and associated factors

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and the factors associated with IPV during pregnancy and the early postnatal period in Korean community samples.

METHODS

We enrolled 5953 pregnant mothers and mothers with young children registered in the Early Life Health Management Program provided by 30 public health centers in Korea between 2020 and 2021. We used the Korean Hurt, Insult, Threaten, and Scream (K-HITS) questionnaire to measure IPV. Sociodemographic, social support, and psychosocial variables were collected using self-administered questionnaires. χ² tests and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using SAS.

RESULTS

Using a cut-off score of 6 with K-HITS, the prevalence of IPV was 7.6%. According to multivariable logistic analyses, "have seen domestic violence during childhood or adolescence" (odds ratio [OR] 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95-3.50), unplanned pregnancy (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.73-2.75), depression during pregnancy (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.69-2.79), history of receiving treatment for emotional problems (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.07-2.20), and living in a rural area (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.01-2.29) increased the odds of IPV. "Having someone who talk to" was protective of IPV (for" "Not having someone to talk to": OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.49-3.35).

CONCLUSIONS

Policies to prevent and address IPV during the perinatal period are urgently needed in Korea.

Social support and intimate partner violence in rural Pakistan: A longitudinal investigation of the bi-directional relationship

A large body of cross-sectional evidence finds strong and consistent associations between social support and intimate partner violence (IPV). However, the directionality of this relationship has not been firmly established due to a dearth of longitudinal evidence. Using cohort study data collected over a 3 year period from 945 women in rural Pakistan, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between IPV and social support. Friend and family social support was measured with the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, and IPV was measured with questions adopted from the World Health Organization's Violence Against Women Instrument, which was used to construct a measure of IPV severity. We estimated longitudinal associations in linear regression models that controlled for women's educational level, age at marriage, age, household composition, household assets, depressive symptoms, and Adverse Childhood Experiences. We found evidence of a bi-directional, mutually re-enforcing relationship that showed unique associations by type of social support. Specifically, we found that high social support from family, though not friends, decreased IPV severity 1 year later, and that higher IPV severity led to reductions in both friend and family social support 1 year later. Results suggest that interventions involving family members could be especially effective at reducing IPV in this context, and - given that low social support leads to many adverse health outcomes - results suggest that IPV can result in secondary harms due to diminished social support. In summary, our study confirms a bi-directional relationship between IPV and social support and suggests that IPV interventions that integrate social support may be especially effective at reducing IPV and mitigating secondary harms.

Building a New Intimate Relationship After Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in Victim-Survivors of South Korea

Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to harmful acts occurring among members of an intimate relationship. Many studies have explored individuals' experiences of IPV as well as its consequences; however, so far, few studies have explored the lives of IPV victim-survivors after escaping from the violent relationship and the experiences of building new intimate relationships. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand the young female adults' experience of building a new intimate relationship after ending their abusive relationship. This study used a qualitative phenomenological design to understand the women's lived experiences in their own voices, as suggested by Giorgi. In total, 13 young female adults in South Korea were recruited and interviewed. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Drawing on the interview data, we constructed the structure of their experiences through identifying five themes: (I) having difficulty in meeting new people, (II) starting to build a new relationship based on trauma, (III) struggling to escape the boundaries of the abuser, (IV) learning about healthy intimate relationships, and (V) something's wrong again. The findings were meaningful in that they showed how victim-survivors clearly needed care and support even after they escaped from their abusive relationships and began new ones. In addition, we found that some of them entered into another abusive relationship with their new partners. Finally, this study informs researchers and health professionals across the world about the experiences of IPV victims within specific cultural background. We hope that the findings of this study will contribute to building various interventions and programs for victim-survivors of IPV.