Correlates of Domestic Violence against Women in Bahr Dar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

III mally developing countries, domestic violence has rec:enrly become nOI only
huma" righr.~ or public heallli cOllcern bur also a development isme. Siudies
suggesr Ihat Ethiopia has the highest prevalence of domestic violence againsr
women. /JoW€ I'er, evidence f rom representative, population-based srI/dies is
limited alld the factors that COl/tribute to this high level of domestic violence are
1101 \Veil documel/led. This sllIdy, using data collected from (l sample of married
womell aged 15-49, auempted 10 identify the correlates of domestic violence
agaillst womell ill Bahr Dar, the capital city of Aml/ara Region. Descriptive
statiSlics alld logistic regression were use(J i1l the data analysis. Fimlings show
(har a high proportion of (he slI/dy popufarioll experienced recent threats or
physical abuse (58%) and thaI more Ihall 60% of these womell reported rhree or
more specific act.!.' of violellce over a period of 12 mOlllhs. RespoIUJenl.!." age,
duration of Cllrrellf marriage. //lImber of children greater thall fOllr, household
size, ec/ucatio1l, type of marriage arrangement, type of filmily, alld husbands'
alcohol drinkillg habit emerged as poweiflll risk factors for domestic violence
against womell. While age a( marriage, work status, attilude towards gender roles
and decision making in the conjugal household and respondents' experience of
fathers beating mothers were found to be weak predictors of violel/ce against
women. Elimil/ating harmful practices sllch as arranged marriage or marriage by
force, enhancing female edlicati01I, alld improving gender equity are suggested as
pos,,'ible illten'€ntions for reducing the prem/ellce of domestic violence against
womell.