Domestic violence in childhood and the associated risk of spousal violence in adulthood: cultural influence on women's experience

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the association between childhood violence and spousal violence within the culture of women visiting primary health care centers. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, participants were approached in waiting areas of health care centers. Data about five types of childhood violence and four types of spousal violence were investigated. Chi square was implemented to study the association between spousal violence and women's demographic characteristics. Further, logistic regression associated with 95% CI was implemented to study the risk of spousal violence based on women's exposure to childhood abuse. Results: It was found that women in general were subjects to domestic violence in childhood and during adulthood. Emotional and physical types of childhood violence were the most prevalent in our participants. Regarding spousal violence experience, two-thirds of the women reported control by the spouse. In addition, half of them reported being physically victimized using different violence tactics. Except for sexual abuse, all other types of childhood violence were, generally, significant risk factors for spousal violence victimization. Conclusion: Experiencing childhood violence, witnessing parental violence, tendency to compensate for the deprivation in childhood, and inherited beliefs about spousal violence were factors expected to explain the association between childhood violence and spousal violence in women. Traumatic events in childhood are under-recognized factors in the development of spousal violence in the current population. Therefore, efforts to prevent these forms of violence need to be emphasized by health professionals who are in direct contact with women in different health care facilities.