Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Reproductive Health
Published in: Reproductive Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Domestic violence against women and associated factors in Ethiopia; systematic review

Authors: Agumasie Semahegn, Bezatu Mengistie

Published in: Reproductive Health | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Violence against women is now widely recognized as a serious human right abuse, and an important public health problem with substantial consequences physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health. Data on systematic review of domestic violence are needed to support policy and program recommendations. Therefore, the overall purpose of this systematic review was to assess magnitude of domestic violence against women and associated factors in Ethiopia.

Methods

Studies systematically reviewed in Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia from 2000 to 2014. Systematic review was employed on published research works from databases such as Pubmed, popline, Hinari, and Google using key words. We also consulted public health experts. Community based studies with a study population (15–49 years) were included for review. Thirteen peer reviewed papers and two consecutive Ethiopian demographic and health surveys (2005 and 2011) were included to the systematic review. Twenty seven available in open access journals were retrieved and assessed based on the criteria’s such as community based study, cross sectional study design, clearly report prevalence and associated factors were included in the systematic review work. Finally, 15 papers were included in this review.

Results

Lifetime prevalence of domestic violence against women by husband or intimate partner among 10 studies ranged from 20 to 78 %. The lifetime domestic physical violence by husband or intimate partner against women ranged from 31 to 76.5 %. The life time domestic sexual violence against women by husband or intimate partner ranged from 19.2 to 59 %. The mean life time prevalence of domestic emotional violence was 51.7 %. Significant number of women experienced violence during their pregnancy period. Domestic violence against women significantly associated with alcohol consumption, chat chewing, family history of violence, occupation, religion, educational status, residence and decision making power.

Conclusion

Domestic violence against women was relatively high in different parts of Ethiopia. Domestic violence has direct relationship with sociodemographic characteristics of the victim as well as perpetrator. Therefore, appropriate health promotion information activities needed to tackle associated factors of domestic violence against women or to prevent and control the problem to save women from being victim.
Literature
1.
2.
WHO. Strengthening the role of the health system in addressing violence, in particular against women and girls, and against children, The Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly. A67/A/CONF./1/Rev.1 Agenda item 14.3. 2014.
3.
UNFPA. Addressing Violence against Women and Girls In Sexual And Reproductive Health Services: A Review Of Knowledge Assets.
4.
World Bank. Ending Violence against Women and Girls Reduction and prevention of gender-based violence as a contribution to the protection of human rights and to development. Eschborn, Germany 2003. http://​www.​gtz.​de accessed April 2013.
5.
Garcia-Moreno C, Jansen HAFM, Ellsberg M, Heise L, Watts CH. Prevalence of intimate partner violence: fi ndings from the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence. Lancet. 2006;368:1260–9.CrossRefPubMed
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
UNICEF. domestic violence against women and girls. Innocenti Digest no. 6, june 2000. UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Piazza SS. Annunziata, 12 50122 Florence, Italy. www.​unicef. accessed Nov 2014.
11.
12.
13.
Central Statistical Agency [Ethiopia] and ORC Macro. Ethiopian demographic health survey 2011. Maryland: Ethiopia and Calverton; 2012.
14.
15.
Yigzaw T, Yibrie A, Kebede Y. Domestic violence around Gondar in northwest Ethiopia. EthiopJHealth Dev. 2004;18(3):133–9.
16.
Semahegn A, Belachew T, Abdulahi M. Domestic violence and its predictors among married women in reproductive age in Fagitalekoma Woreda, Awi zone, Amhara regional state, North Western Ethiopia. Reprod Health. 2013;10(63):1–9.
17.
Hassen F, Deyessa N. The relationship between sexual violence and human immunodeficiency virus infection among women using voluntary counseling and testing services in South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia. BMC Research Notes. 2013;6(271):1–9.
18.
Deyessa N, Berhane Y, Ellsberg M, Emmelin M, Kullgren G, Gberg HU. Violence against women in relation to literacy and area of residence in Ethiopia. Global Health Action. 2010;3(2070):1–9.
19.
Erulkar A. Early marriage, marital relations and intimate partner violence in Ethiopia. Int Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2013;39(1):6–13.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Feseha G, G/mariam A, Gerbaba M. Intimate partner physical violence among women in Shimelba refugee camp, northern Ethiopia. BMC Public Health. 2012;12(125):1–10.
21.
Deribe K, Beyene KB, Tolla A, Memiah P, Biadgilign S, Amberbir A. Magnitude and correlates of intimate partner violence against women and its outcome in southwest Ethiopia. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(4):e36189. 10.1371/journal.pone.0036189.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
22.
Deribew A. Magnitude and risk factors of intimate partner violence against women in agaro town, southwest Ethiopia. Ethiopian J Health Sci. 2007;17(2):1–4.
23.
Shanko W, Wolday M, Assefa N, Aro AR. Domestic violence against women in Kersa, Oromia region, eastern Ethiopia. East Mediterr Health J. 2013;19(1):18–23.PubMed
24.
Abeya SG, Fantahun MA, Worku AY. Intimate partner violence against women in western Ethiopia: prevalence, patterns, and associated factors. BMC Public Health. 2011;11(913):1–18.
25.
Abeya SG, Fantahun MA, Worku AY. Intimate partner violence against women in west Ethiopia: a qualitative study on attitudes, woman’s response, and suggested measures as perceived by community members. Reprod Health. 2012;9(14):1–11.
26.
Central Statistical Agency [Ethiopia] and ORC Macro. Ethiopian demographic health survey 2005. Maryland: Ethiopia and Calverton; 2006.
27.
Deyessa N, Berhane Y, Alem A, Ellsberg M, Emmelin M, Hogberg U, et al. Intimate partner violence and depression among women in rural Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. Clinical Practice Epidemiology Mental Health. 2009;5(8):1–10.
28.
Alhabib S, Nur U, Roger J. Domestic violence against women: systematic review of prevalence studies. J Fam Viol. 2010;25:369–82.CrossRef
29.
Uthman OA, Lawoko S, Moradi T. Sex disparities in attitudes towards intimate partner violence against women in sub-Saharan Africa: a socio-ecological analysis. BMC Public Health. 2010;10(223):1–8.
30.
Rapp D, BeateZoch MM, Khan H, Pollmann T, Krämer A. Association between gap in spousal education and domestic violence in India and Bangladesh. BMC Public Health. 2012;12(467):1–9.
31.
Lamichhane P, Puri M, Tamang J, Dulal B. Women’s status and violence against young married women in rural Nepal. BMC women?’. Health. 2011;11(19):1–9.
32.
Hayati EN, Högberg U, Hakimi M, Ellsberg MC, Emmelin M. Behind the silence of harmony: risk factors for physical and sexual violence among women in rural Indonesia. BMC Women?’. Health. 2011;11(52):1–8.
33.
Watts C, Mayhew S. Reproductive health services and intimate partner violence: shaping a pragmatic response in Sub-Saharan africa. Int Fam Plan Perspect. 2004;30(4):207–13.PubMed
34.
35.
Trevillion K, Oram S, Feder G, Howard LM. Experiences of domestic violence and mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(12):e51740. 10.1371/journal.pone.0051740.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
36.
Gaikwad V, Madhukumar S, Sudeepa D. An epidemiological study of domestic violence against women and its association with sexually transmitted infections in Bangalore rural. Online J Health Allied Scs. 2011;10(3):1–3.
37.
NandBhatta D. Shadow of domestic violence and extramarital sex cohesive with spousal communication among males in Nepal. Reprod Health. 2014;11(44):1–8.
38.
Krishnan S, Rocca CH, Hubbard AE, Subbiah K, Jedmeades J, Padian SN. Do changes in spousal employment status lead to domestic violence? Insights from a prospective study in Bangalore, India. Soc Sci Med. 2010;70(2010):136–43.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Mary E, Jansen HAFM, Lori H, Watts CH, Claudia G-M. Intimate partner violence and women’s physical and mental health in the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence: an observational study. Lancet. 2008;371:1165–72.CrossRef
40.
Rachel Jewkes. Intimate partner violence: causes and prevention. THE LANCET . 2002; 359: 1423–29. www.​thelancet.​com accessed November 2014.
41.
Hejazi SB, Medeiros S, Mohammadi R, Lin J, Dalal K. Patterns of intimate partner violence: a study of female victims in Malawi. J Inj Violence Res. 2013;5(1):38–50.
Metadata
Title
Domestic violence against women and associated factors in Ethiopia; systematic review
Authors
Agumasie Semahegn
Bezatu Mengistie
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1742-4755
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-015-0072-1

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

Reproductive Health 1/2015 Go to the issue

Research

Determinants of unmet need for family planning among currently married women in Dangila town administration, Awi Zone, Amhara regional state; a cross sectional study

Review

Programa Geração Biz, Mozambique: how did this adolescent health initiative grow from a pilot to a national programme, and what did it achieve?

Research

Effects of peer education intervention on HIV/AIDS related sexual behaviors of secondary school students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a quasi-experimental study

Research

Prevalence and outcome of teenage hospital births at the buea health district, South West Region, Cameroon

Commentary

Putting menarche and girls into the global population health agenda

Study protocol

Formative research and development of innovative tools for “Better Outcomes in Labour Difficulty” (BOLD): study protocol