Citation

Al Kiyumi MH, Al Shidhani AS, Al Sumri H, Al Saidi Y, Al Harrasi A, Al Kiyumi M, Al Sumri S, Al Toubi A, Shetty M, Al-Adawi S. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023; 20(13).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph20136241

PMID

37444089

PMCID

PMC10341606

Abstract

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), locally known as Khaliji, is a group of six Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern in the aforementioned region, but research that synthesises this trend has remained scarce. The present narrative review examines existing research on the prevalence and frequency of IPV among Khaliji women who inhabit the GCC nations. This review synthesised studies on physical and sexual violence, emotional abuse, and controlling behaviours perpetrated by an intimate partner. The prevalence rates of IPV among Khaliji women were observed to be high: women reported facing different types of abuse from their partners, namely physical (7-71%), sexual (3.7-81%), financial (21.3-26%), and psychological (7.5-89%), which is a culmination of controlling behaviour (36.8%), emotional violence (22-69%), and social violence (34%). Existing studies in the GCC region suggest that the most endorsed IPV was psychological abuse (89%), followed by sexual violence (81%). Qualitative analysis of the content of associated factors resulted in four significant descriptors, such as victim demographics, sociocultural factors, socioeconomic factors, and perpetrator-related issues. Research on IPV is still in its nascent stages, with very few studies emanating from the GCC region. The way forward will require developing culturally appropriate interventions that address the unique risk factors for IPV among the Khaliji population, strengthening institutional responses, and increasing awareness and social support for victims of IPV.

Language: en

Keywords

risk factors; intimate partner violence; domestic violence; Arab; cultural attitudes towards violence and gender roles; forms of IPV (physical, sexual, emotional, economic); GCC; Khaliji; prevalence rates