Intimate partner violence among Afghan women living in refugee camps in Pakistan

AbstractIntimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most prevalent forms of violence that women suffer globally. Women in Afghanistan have been exposed to high levels of IPV which coincided with high levels of conflict during more than four decades. We cross-sectionally examined the Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey responses of 21,234 ever-married Afghan women. We first performed the frequency distribution analysis to determine the prevalence of IPV and the basic socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Subsequently we examined the relationship between the independent and dependent variables followed by the bivariate and survey versions of logistic regression analyses. We report odds ratios in order to depict the strength and direction of the associations between the IPV and selected independent variables. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The analyses showed that 55.54% of Afghan women experienced some form of physical, emotional, or sexual violence by their intimate partners during the recall period partners. The most common form of IPV found was physical violence (50.52%). Factors such as being exposed to inter-parental violence (respondent woman’s father physically abused her mother) (adjusted OR= 3.69, CI= 3.31–4.10) and respondent’s acceptance of IPV (aOR= 1.85, 1.51–2.26) were associated with increased exposure to IPV. Having a spouse with at least a primary education (aOR= 0.76, CI= 0.64–0.91) or a respondent with at least a primary education (aOR= 0.82, CI= 0.68–0.98) was associated with lower exposure to reported IPV. The lifetime experience of IPV occurs to a high extent among Afghan women, and several socio-demographic factors have predisposing attributes. IPV policy formulation and strategizing may benefit from considering these factors.

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Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Visiting Health Care Centers in Palestine Refugee Camps in Jordan

Health Care For Women International ◽

10.1080/07399332.2014.948626 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 137-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Hanan Al-Modallal ◽

Ishtaiwi Abu Zayed ◽

Sanaa Abujilban ◽

Tariq Shehab ◽

Maysoun Atoum

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Health Care Centers

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Drivers of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Three Refugee Camps

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/1077801216689163 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 286-306 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Karin Wachter ◽

Rebecca Horn ◽

Elsa Friis ◽

Kathryn Falb ◽

Leora Ward ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Violence Against Women ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Extreme Conditions ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Individual Family ◽

Partner Violence Against Women

This qualitative study examined the “drivers” of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in displacement to identify protective factors and patterns of risk. Qualitative data were collected in three refugee camps in South Sudan, Kenya, and Iraq ( N = 284). Findings revealed interrelated factors that triggered and perpetuated IPV: gendered social norms and roles, destabilization of gender norms and roles, men’s substance use, women’s separation from family, and rapid remarriages and forced marriages. These factors paint a picture of individual, family, community and societal processes that exacerbate women’s risk of IPV in extreme conditions created by displacement. Implications for policy and practice are indicated.

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Gender-based violence and its association with mental health among Somali women in a Kenyan refugee camp: a latent class analysis

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health ◽

10.1136/jech-2020-214086 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. jech-2020-214086

Author(s):

Mazeda Hossain ◽

Rachel Jane Pearson ◽

Alys McAlpine ◽

Loraine J Bacchus ◽

Jo Spangaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Latent Class Analysis ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Latent Class ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Gender Based ◽

Anxiety Depression

BackgroundIn conflict-affected settings, women and girls are vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV). GBV is associated with poor long-term mental health such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Understanding the interaction between current violence and past conflict-related violence with ongoing mental health is essential for improving mental health service provision in refugee camps.MethodsUsing data collected from 209 women attending GBV case management centres in the Dadaab refugee camps, Kenya, we grouped women by recent experience of GBV using latent class analysis and modelled the relationship between the groups and symptomatic scores for anxiety, depression and PTSD using linear regression.ResultsWomen with past-year experience of intimate partner violence alone may have a higher risk of depression than women with past-year experience of non-partner violence alone (Coef. 1.68, 95% CI 0.25 to 3.11). Conflict-related violence was an important risk factor for poor mental health among women who accessed GBV services, despite time since occurrence (average time in camp was 11.5 years) and even for those with a past-year experience of GBV (Anxiety: 3.48, 1.85–5.10; Depression: 2.26, 0.51–4.02; PTSD: 6.83, 4.21–9.44).ConclusionRefugee women who experienced past-year intimate partner violence or conflict-related violence may be at increased risk of depression, anxiety or PTSD. Service providers should be aware that compared to the general refugee population, women who have experienced violence may require additional psychological support and recognise the enduring impact of violence that occurred before, during and after periods of conflict and tailor outreach and treatment services accordingly.

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Mapping Complex Systems: Responses to Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Three Refugee Camps

Frontiers in Human Dynamics ◽

10.3389/fhumd.2021.613792 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Author(s):

Rebecca Horn ◽

Karin Wachter ◽

Elsa A. Friis-Healy ◽

Sophia Wanjku Ngugi ◽

Joanne Creighton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Service Providers ◽

Forced Migration ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Humanitarian Assistance ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Community Based ◽

Response Options ◽

Seeking Help

Armed conflict and forced migration are associated with an increase in intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. Yet as risks of IPV intensify, familiar options for seeking help dissipate as families and communities disperse and seek refuge in a foreign country. The reconfiguration of family and community systems, coupled with the presence of local and international humanitarian actors, introduces significant changes to IPV response pathways. Drawing from intensive fieldwork, this article examines response options available to women seeking help for IPV in refugee camps against the backdrop of efforts to localize humanitarian assistance. This study employed a qualitative approach to study responses to IPV in three refugee camps: Ajuong Thok (South Sudan), Dadaab (Kenya), and Domiz (Iraqi Kurdistan). In each location, data collection activities were conducted with women survivors of IPV, members of the general refugee community, refugee leaders, and service providers. The sample included 284 individuals. Employing visual mapping techniques, analysis of data from these varied sources described help seeking and response pathways in the three camps, and the ways in which women engaged with various systems. The analysis revealed distinct pathways for seeking help in the camps, with several similarities across contexts. Women in all three locations often “persevered” in an abusive partnership for extended periods before seeking help. When women did seek help, it was predominantly with family members initially, and then community-based mechanisms. Across camps, participants typically viewed engaging formal IPV responses as a last resort. Differences between camp settings highlighted the importance of understanding complex informal systems, and the availability of organizational responses, which influenced the sequence and speed with which formal systems were engaged. The findings indicate that key factors in bridging formal and community-based systems in responding to IPV in refugee camps include listening to women and understanding their priorities, recognizing the importance of women in camps maintaining life-sustaining connections with their families and communities, engaging communities in transformative change, and shifting power and resources to local women-led organizations.

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Intimate partner violence and unmet need for family planning among currently married Afghan women aged 18-49 years: findings from a nationally representative survey in Afghanistan

10.1101/2021.10.20.21265274 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Omid Dadras ◽

Takeo Nakayama ◽

Masahiro Kihara ◽

Masako Ono-Kihara ◽

Chamnong Thanapop ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Family Planning ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Unmet Needs ◽

Reference Group ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Afghan Women ◽

Adverse Health Outcomes ◽

Nationally Representative

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue, particularly in poor-resourced countries. It has been linked to a range of adverse health outcomes. In this study, we explored the prevalence and the relationship between the IPV and unmet need for family planning and identified the associated sociodemographic factors among a nationally representative sample of married Afghan women aged 18-49 years in Afghanistan. Methods: This study used the data from Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2015. The data for IPV, unmet need for family planning, and sociodemographic characteristics of Afghan women aged 18-24 were extracted from the available databases. Sampling weights and survey design were accounted for in bivariate and multivariate analyses using the STATA software version 14. The significant alpha level was determined at p-value < .05 Results: More than half of the study population, with a prevalence of 55.89%, experienced some types of intimate partner violence during the last 12 months. Unmet need for family planning was documented in less than a third of the population. Illiterate employed women from poorer families who were living in the rural areas were more likely to suffer from any type of IPV. Moreover, those from Pashtun (OR = 2.12, 95% CI:1.30-3.45), Tajik (OR = 1.69, 95% CI:1.06-2.71), and Pashai (OR = 2.23, 95% CI:1.17-4.26) ethnic groups had a higher chance of being a victim of any type of violence compared to the reference group (Turkmen). Illiterate women (OR = 1.37, 95% CI:1.02-1.83) with more than 5 pregnancy experiences (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.19-1.74) had more unmet needs for family planning compared to the reference group. The unmet needs were almost 40% and 30% less likely to be observed among women from Pashtun and Tajik ethnic backgrounds compared to the reference group (Turkmen), respectively. The likelihood of having unmet needs was 30% less in those women who suffered from any type of violence. Conclusion: IPV is an important predictor of several adverse health outcomes. The findings of present study portray the disastrous situation of Afghan women's right violation and violence against them in a conflict setting in one the poor-resourced countries in the world and communicate an important message to the international communities and human right advocate to take immediate actions to mitigate the current situation and prevent the violence against Afghan women to improve the integrity of their reproductive health.

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The prevalence and associated factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes among Afghan women in Iran; Findings from community-based survey

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0245007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0245007

Author(s):

Omid Dadras ◽

Takeo Nakayama ◽

Masahiro Kihara ◽

Masako Ono-Kihara ◽

Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Antenatal Care ◽

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Afghan Women ◽

Adverse Pregnancy

Backgrounds An estimated 2.5 million Afghans are living in the Iran and almost half of them are young women at the childbearing ages. Although the evidence indicates lower rates of antenatal care and higher incidence of pregnancy complications in Afghan compared to Iranian women, the underlying reasons are not well defined. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to explore the prevalence and associated sociodemographic factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes and examine the impact of intimate partner violence, food insecurity, poor mental health, and housing issues on pregnancy outcome in Afghan women living in Iran. Methods In July 2019, we enrolled 424 Afghan women aged 18–44 years old using the time-location sampling at three community health centers in the south region of Tehran province. The data was collected through face to face interviews using the researcher-developed questionnaire. Using bivariate and multivariate analysis, the impact of poor antenatal care, intimate partner violence, food insecurity, and poor mental health was assessed on the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome. Results More than half (56.6%) of Afghan women reported at least one pregnancy complication in their recent pregnancy. The results showed that undocumented, illiterate, and unemployed Afghan women with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, we observed lower prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes among documented immigrants with health insurance compared to those with no health insurance. It is also been found that the food insecurity [Adjusted OR = 3.35, 95% CI (1.34–8.36)], poor antenatal care [Adjusted OR = 10.50, 95% CI (5.40–20.39)], intimate partner violence [Adjusted OR = 2.72, 95% CI (1.10–6.77)], and poor mental health [Adjusted OR = 4.77, 95% CI (2.54–8.94)] could adversely impact the pregnancy outcome and we observed higher incidence of adverse outcomes among those suffering from these situations. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study that explored the prevalence and associated factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the impact of intimate partner violence, food insecurity, poor mental health on pregnancy outcome among Afghan women in Iran. Enhancing the psychosocial support and empowering Afghan women through expanding the social network and safety net should be a priority for the central government and international parties. Psychological counseling should be incorporated into routine maternity care for Afghan refugees. Access to free antenatal care is a right for all Afghan women and it should be facilitated by universal health insurance for all Afghans regardless of their legal status.

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The prevalence and associated factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes among Afghan women in Iran; findings from community-based survey

10.1101/2020.08.05.20168708 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Omid Dadras ◽

Takeo Nakayam ◽

Masahiro Kihara ◽

Masako Ono-Kihara ◽

Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Antenatal Care ◽

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Afghan Women ◽

Adverse Pregnancy

AbstractBackgroundsAn estimated 2.5 million Afghans are living in the Iran and almost half of them are young women at the childbearing ages. Although the evidence indicates lower rates of antenatal care and higher incidence of pregnancy complications in Afghan compared to Iranian women, the underlying reasons are not well defined. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to explore the prevalence and associated sociodemographic factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes and examine the impact of intimate partner violence, food insecurity, poor mental health, and housing issues on pregnancy outcome in Afghan women living in Iran.MethodsIn July 2019, we enrolled 424 Afghan women aged 18-44 years old using the time-location sampling at three community health centers in the south region of Tehran province. The data was collected through face to face interviews using the researcher-developed questionnaire. Using bivariate and multivariate analysis, the impact of poor antenatal care, intimate partner violence, food insecurity, and poor mental health was assessed on the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome.ResultsMore than half (56.6%) of Afghan women reported at least one pregnancy complication in their recent pregnancy. The results showed that undocumented, illiterate, and unemployed Afghan women with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, we observed lower prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes among documented immigrants with health insurance compared to those with no health insurance. It is also been found that the food insecurity [Adjusted OR = 3.35, 95% CI (1.34-8.36)], poor antenatal care [Adjusted OR = 10.50, 95% CI (5.40-20.39)], intimate partner violence [Adjusted OR = 2.72, 95% CI (1.10-6.77)], and poor mental health [Adjusted OR = 4.77, 95% CI (2.54-8.94)] could adversely impact the pregnancy outcome and we observed higher incidence of adverse outcomes among those suffering from these situations.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study that explored the prevalence and associated factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the impact of intimate partner violence, food insecurity, poor mental health on pregnancy outcome among Afghan women in Iran. Enhancing the psychosocial support and empowering Afghan women through expanding the social network and safety net should be a priority for the central government and international parties. Psychological counseling should be incorporated into routine maternity care for Afghan refugees. Access to free antenatal care is a right for all Afghan women and it should be facilitated by universal health insurance for all Afghans regardless of their legal status.

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