Leonardsson Malin, San Sebastian Miguel
Umeå International School of Public Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
The Swedish Board of Student Finance, Sundsvall, Sweden.
BMC Womens Health. 2017 Nov 3;17(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s12905-017-0453-4.
Spousal violence against women is prevalent in India (29%). Studies from various countries have shown that few women exposed to intimate partner violence or spousal violence seek help, especially in low-income countries. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and predictors of help-seeking among women in India who have experienced various types of spousal violence.
Cross-sectional data on 19,125 married, separated, divorced or widowed women in India who had experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of their husbands were obtained from the India National Family Health Survey III 2005-2006. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out.
Less than one fourth (23.7%) of married, separated, divorced or widowed women in India who had experienced some form of physical or sexual spousal violence had sought help, but only 1% had sought help from formal institutions. Help-seeking was most prevalent in women who had been exposed to a combination of physical, sexual and emotional abuse (48.8%) and the least prevalent in women who had experienced sexual violence only (1.5%). Experience of severe violence and violence resulting in injury were the strongest predictors of help-seeking. Having education, being Christian or an acknowledged adherent of another minority religion - mainly Buddhism and Sikhism (Islam not included), getting married after the age of 21 and living in the South region were also associated with seeking help. Women in the North and Northeast regions were less likely to seek help, as were women with children and women who thought that a husband could be justified in hitting his wife.
Very few Indian women who experience spousal violence seek help. The characteristics of the violence are the strongest predictors of help-seeking, but sociodemographic factors are also influential. We recommend efforts to ensure educational attainment for girls, prevention of child marriages, and that police officers and health care staff should be educated about intimate partner violence and in how to respond to women who seek help. It is important to tackle norms and attitudes surrounding violence against women, as well as attitudes to women who disclose violence.
在印度，配偶对女性的暴力行为很普遍（29%）。来自不同国家的研究表明，很少有遭受亲密伴侣暴力或配偶暴力的女性寻求帮助，尤其是在低收入国家。本研究的目的是估计印度经历过各种配偶暴力的女性寻求帮助的患病率及预测因素。
从2005 - 2006年印度第三次全国家庭健康调查中获取了19125名已婚、分居、离婚或丧偶且曾遭受丈夫身体或性暴力的印度女性的横断面数据。进行了双变量和多变量逻辑回归分析。
在印度，经历过某种形式配偶身体或性暴力的已婚、分居、离婚或丧偶女性中，不到四分之一（23.7%）寻求过帮助，但只有1%向正规机构寻求过帮助。在遭受身体、性和情感虐待综合暴力的女性中，寻求帮助最为普遍（48.8%），而仅经历过性暴力的女性中寻求帮助最不普遍（1.5%）。严重暴力经历和导致受伤的暴力是寻求帮助的最强预测因素。受过教育、是基督教徒或其他少数宗教（主要是佛教和锡克教，不包括伊斯兰教）的公认信徒、21岁以后结婚以及居住在南部地区也与寻求帮助有关。北部和东北部地区的女性寻求帮助的可能性较小，有孩子的女性以及认为丈夫打妻子有道理的女性也是如此。
很少有遭受配偶暴力的印度女性寻求帮助。暴力的特征是寻求帮助的最强预测因素，但社会人口学因素也有影响。我们建议努力确保女童接受教育、防止童婚，并且应对警察和医护人员进行亲密伴侣暴力方面的教育以及如何应对寻求帮助的女性的培训。解决围绕暴力侵害妇女行为的规范和态度以及对披露暴力行为的妇女的态度非常重要。
