Correlates of violent response among Peruvian women abused by an intimate partner

J Interpers Violence. 2010 Jan;25(1):136-51. doi: 10.1177/0886260508329127. Epub 2009 Feb 27.

Abstract

The authors sought to identify correlates of violent response among women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in Lima, Peru. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on exposure to IPV and women's physical violent reaction towards their abuser. Women who were sexually abused by their partners, as compared with women who experienced emotional abuse only, were more than twice as likely to respond in a violent manner to the abuse (OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.14-4.74). Similarly, women who reported being physically abused, were 4 times as likely than those who experienced emotional abuse only to retaliate in a physically violent manner (OR = 4.04, 95% CI = 2.68-6.11). Women's educational status, history of witnessing parental violence as a child, and type of IPV are significantly associated with women's violent response. Community support networks and culturally appropriate intervention programs designed to prevent and mitigate the impact of IPV are needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aggression / psychology*
  • Battered Women / psychology
  • Battered Women / statistics & numerical data*
  • Coercion*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Middle Aged
  • Peru / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Sexual Partners
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Spouse Abuse / psychology
  • Spouse Abuse / statistics & numerical data*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult