Antecedents and Outcomes of Intimate Partner Violence Against Married Afghan Women Living in Iran

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most frequent forms of violence observed by one member of the family, particularly the dominant member, to control the other member of the relationship. This study aimed to investigate the antecedents and consequences of IPV in couples’ relationships from the perspective of married Afghan immigrant women living in Iran. The participants included 253 married Afghan women living in Iran between 18 and 57 years old who participated in the study via an online survey and answered questions about the four forms of IPV experienced measured by Conflict Tactic Scales-Revised (CTS-2), Symptoms of Depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder Scale, Relationship Assessment Scale, and the Social Support Scale. According to the findings, Afghan immigrant women experienced psychological, physical, sexual, and controlling behaviors and any kind of IPV of 54%, 41%, 23%, 61%, and 71% prevalence, respectively, in the last 12 months. Age, self-education and partner education, economic status, type of marriage (love or traditional), and the number of children also have a significant association with IPV (p< .01). The results showed that women who experienced IPV significantly reported lower levels of social support and marital satisfaction and higher symptoms of depression and PTSD than women who did not experience IPV (p< .01). Considering the prevalence of violent behavior in Afghan immigrant women who have less access to the support network in the country of origin, empowering them and creating supportive conditions for them can control the negative consequences of violence and provide a basis for psychological interventions by specialists.