TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - Attitudes towards wife-beating justification and its association with female genital mutilation - analysis of ever-married Somali women in the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey
JO  - International health
A1  - Mohamed, Abdirahman Saeed
A1  - Bjertness, Espen
A1  - Htet, Aung Soe
A1  - Aye, Win Thuzar
A1  - Madar, Ahmed Ali
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND: In Somalia, despite its prohibition, female circumcision persists alongside significant intimate partner violence. This study examines the prevalence of wife-beating justification among Somali women and its link to the perception that female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a religious obligation. <br><br>METHODS: We studied 7726 married Somali women 15-49 y of age from the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey. Using χ2 tests and logistic regression, we examined wife-beating justification by covariates and its connection to the perception that FGM/C is a religious obligation. <br><br>RESULTS: The prevalence of women justifying wife-beating for any of six reasons was 56.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 55.3 to 57.6). A higher prevalence of wife-beating justification was found among women 35-49 y of age (59.9% [95% CI 57.8 to 61.9]), without education (57.7% [95% CI 56.5 to 59.0]), rural residents (57.8% [95% CI 56.3 to 59.2]), with lower socio-economic status (60.4% [95% CI 58.7 to 62.1]) and married before age 18 y (58.4% [95% CI 56.7 to 60.1]). Adjusted for covariates, logistic regression analyses indicated a significant association between wife-beating justification and the belief that FGM/C is mandated by religion (adjusted odds ratio 1.40 [95% CI 1.17 to 1.68], p<0.001). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Wife-beating justification is alarmingly common among Somali women and significantly associated with the belief that FGM/C is mandated by religion. Further research is necessary to investigate the drivers behind the acceptance of domestic violence, its impact on women's mental health and well-being and its association with FGM/C acceptance.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1876-3413
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihae047
ID  - ref1
ER  -