TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2020//
TI  - Domestic violence among married women of reproductive age in Zimbabwe: a cross sectional study
JO  - BMC public health
A1  - Lasong, Joseph
A1  - Zhang, Yuan
A1  - Muyayalo, Kahindo P.
A1  - Njiri, Olivia Adhiambo
A1  - Gebremedhin, Simon Afewerki
A1  - Abaidoo, Chrissie S.
A1  - Liu, Chun Yan
A1  - Zhang, Huiping
A1  - Zhao, Kai
SP  - e354
EP  - e354
VL  - 20
IS  - 1
N2  - BACKGROUND: Domestic violence does not only violate women's fundamental human rights but it also undermines them from achieving their fullest potential around the world. This study was conducted to assess trends and factors associated with domestic violence among married women of reproductive age in Zimbabwe. <br><br>METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study which used secondary data obtained from 2005/06, 2010/11 and 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Surveys (ZDHS). Respondents ranged from married or living with a partner (15-49 years). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with domestic violence. <br><br>RESULTS: Out of 4472 women who were currently married, 1907 (42.7%) had ever experienced one form of domestic violence (physical, emotional and sexual violence). Women aged 40-49 was deemed a protective factor against domestic violence. Risk of domestic violence was higher among working women than unemployed women [AOR = 1.35; p ≤ 0.047]. Women who drink alcohol significantly risk experiencing domestic violence compared to their non-drinking counterpart; also women whose husbands drink alcohol were at higher risk of experiencing domestic violence [AOR = 1.35; p ≤ 0.001]. Domestic violence was higher among women whose husbands have ever experienced their fathers beating their mothers and significant for women whose husbands have more than one wife (polygamy) [AOR = 1.35; p ≤ 0.001]. High parity (5 or more children) was also a risk factor for domestic violence among the studied population [AOR = 1.35; p ≤ 0.038]. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Domestic violence was found to be strongly associated with women whose husbands drink alcohol, products of abusive parents/father beating their mother and/or polygamous marriage (had more than one wife). Domestic violence still remains a challenge and a more biting policy efforts are needed to eradicate this public health canker in Zimbabwe.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1471-2458
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8447-9
ID  - ref1
ER  -