Domestic violence: Frequency and women's perception in Iran (I.R)

Abstract

This study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of different kinds of domestic violence against women in an Iranian population and to explore their attitudes. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kerman, Iran. Three hundred ninety eight women referring to randomly selected health centers were interviewed in early 2005. The questionnaire explored the women's views regarding domestic violence and their experiences of domestic violence during the year before interview. Ignoring women's capabilities by their spouses (36.7%) was the most frequent type of violence. Roughly 27% of them were beaten by their husbands over preceding year. The respondents showed the least agreement with "violence toward wife ceases during pregnancy". Although the findings may not be generalizable to other parts of the country due to cultural diversity, considering the high prevalence of different types of domestic violence it should be regarded as a priority for health service policy. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information.