Ecological analysis of intimate partner sexual violence in peruvian women

Abstract

The ecological model explains intimate partner sexual violence by the interaction of multiple factors that coexist at different levels. The aim of this paper was to analyze the interaction between those levels to estimate the increase or decrease of risk in recent sexual violence by the current partner in 21 414 women at childbearing age (M=30.3 years; SD= 9.2), of whom 59.4% were in cohabitation and 56% had independent work. A two-stage sampling by conglomerates and stratified by areas of Peru’s departments was used. To this end, a secondary data analysis from the Demographic and Family Health Survey (2017) was carried out taking into account the modules of violence against women. Four models were determined using the Poisson regression and calculating prevalence ratios and the area under the curve. The results showed that 6.3% of the sample experienced intimate partner sexual violence. Among the individual factors that increase the risk there is a history of domestic violence (PR=1.19 IC:1.07-1.32). In the Microsystem, physical violence (PR = 11.04 IC: 8.49-14.36), economic threats (PR = 2.58 IC:2.24-2.94) and the partner’s frequency of drunkenness were found (PR=1.98 IC:1.53-2.56). On the contrary, communication (PR=0.45 IC:0.40-0.51) and belonging to higher wealth quintiles (PR=0.59 IC:0.45-0.76) are protective factors of sexual violence. Finally, it is concluded that the simultaneous and reciprocal influence between ecological levels may not be equal regarding the predictive weight of the factors.