Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence in Southwest Ethiopia

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a major public health problem with serious consequences. This study was conducted to assess the magnitude of IPV in Southwest Ethiopia in predominantly Muslim community. Methods: This community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Southwest Ethiopia using the World Health Organization questionnaire to measure violence against women. Trained data collectors interviewed 851 married women. Stata version 10.1 software and SPSS version 12.0.1 for windows were used for data analysis. Result: In this study the life time prevalence of sexual or physical partner violence, or both was 64.7 %( 95%CI: 61.4%-67.9%). The lifetime physical violence [41.1 %( 95%:.8-44.5)] was considerably less prevalent than sexual violence [50.1 %( 95%CI: 46.7%-53.4%)]. Considerable proportion [41.5 %( 95%CI: 38.2%-44.8%)] of women reported physical or sexual violence, or both, in the past year. Men who were controlling were more likely to be violent against their partner. Conclusion: The finding of this study confirms physical and sexual violence is common among married woman in Southwest Ethiopia. Interventions targeting controlling men might help in reducing IPV. Therefore context specific interventions supported by formative assessment are recommended. Further prospective longitudinal studies among married woman are important to identify predictors and to study the dynamics of violence over time