چكيده لاتين :
Domestic violence (DV) is the most prevalent form of violence against women with many social, psychological, and economic consequences. This study was conducted to identify the causes and effects of violence as well as the characteristics of victims of domestic violence. The results can be useful in the identification of victimized women and in determining the incidence of this problem as well as in selecting protective measures.
This study was cross-sectional and included women referred to the Legal Medical Center of Babol, northern Iran, between February 2001 and April 2002. Women with a history of domestic violence (DV) were identified (n = 325). Data were gathered through a questionnaire that was completed after an interview and examination.
The prevalence of DV was 36% among those referred to our center. Detected injuries were mostly physical, while 13% of victims complained of being forced to have sexual intercourse. Seventy-one percent of these women had psychosomatic symptoms of various kinds. The most common sites of injury were head and neck (22.3%) and extremities (21.6%). In most cases (54%) injuries were caused by beating. Assessment of injuries revealed that, in most instances, the result was bruising (42.4%). In most cases of wounding, abrasions or slight wounds had occurred (78%). The most common tools used to hurt these cases were hard objects (89.6%). The most important underlying causes of DV were drug abuse (31.1%) and behavioral disorders (29%). Statistical tests revealed a statistically significant correlation between individual, social, and family characteristics of the two groups (cases and controls).
Findings revealed a high prevalence of violence against women in Iran, as compared with other countries. This study showed that most cases of violence occur in families in which the couple is aged 20 - 40 years, married for less than 10 years, and has few children. Health-care professionals should be able to identify at-risk women and use their skills to protect them.
