Citation

Costa D, Soares J, Lindert J, Hatzidimitriadou E, Sundin O, Toth O, Ioannidi-Kapolo E, Barros H. Int. J. Public Health 2015; 60(4): 467-478.

Affiliation

EPIUnit - Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00038-015-0663-1

PMID

25697967

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess intimate partner violence (IPV) among men and women from six cities in six European countries.

METHODS: Four IPV types were measured in a population-based multicentre study of adults (18-64 years; n = 3,496). Sex- and city-differences in past year prevalence were examined considering victims, perpetrators or both and considering violent acts' severity and repetition.

RESULTS: Male victimization of psychological aggression ranged from 48.8 % (Porto) to 71.8 % (Athens) and female victimization from 46.4 % (Budapest) to 70.5 % (Athens). Male and female victimization of sexual coercion ranged from 5.4 and 8.9 %, respectively, in Budapest to 27.1 and 25.3 % in Stuttgart. Male and female victims of physical assault ranged from 9.7 and 8.5 %, respectively, in Porto, to 31.2 and 23.1 % in Athens. Male victims of injury were 2.7 % in Östersund and 6.3 % in London and female victims were 1.4 % in Östersund and 8.5 % in Stuttgart. IPV differed significantly across cities (p < 0.05). Men and women predominantly experienced IPV as both victims and perpetrators with few significant sex-differences within cities.

CONCLUSIONS: Results support the need to consider men and women as both potential victims and perpetrators when approaching IPV.

Language: en