Citation

Ruiz-Perez I, Mata-Pariente N, Plazaola-Castano J. J. Interpers. Violence 2006; 21(9): 1156-1168.

Affiliation

Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain. isabel.ruiz.easp@juntadeandalucia.es.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0886260506290421

PMID

16893963

Abstract

The responses of women to a situation of abuse by their partner has hardly been addressed in the literature. Using a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire, 400 women attending three practices in a primary health care center in Granada (Spain) were studied. The women's response to abuse was used as a dependent variable. Sociodemographics, intensity, duration, and combination of the types of abuse were used as independent variables. Lifetime prevalence of any type of partner abuse was 22.8%. Of abused women, 68% showed an active response, attempting to resolve the situation mainly through separation (58.2%). The factors independently associated with a woman's active response were being separated, widowed, or divorced; reporting a greater intensity of abuse; and being younger than age 35 years. The results of this study show that a large majority of abused women in Spain try to resolve their situation, and that they are not passive victims.

Language: en