Gaceta Sanitaria
Volume 23, Issue SUPPL. 1, 2009, Pages 100-106

Gender-based violence in immigrant and spanish women: scale of the problem, responses and current policies [Violencia de género en mujeres inmigrantes y españolas: magnitud, respuestas ante el problema y políticas existentes] (Article) (Open Access)

Vives-Cases C.* , Gil-González D. , Plazaola-Castaño J. , Montero-Piñar M.I. , Ruiz-Pérez I. , Escribà-Agüir V. , Ortiz-Barreda G. , Torrubiano-Domínguez J.
  • a Grupo de Investigación en Salud Pública, Universidad Alicante, Alicante, Spain, Ciber de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
  • b Grupo de Investigación en Salud Pública, Universidad Alicante, Alicante, Spain, Observatorio de Políticas Públicas y Salud, Spain
  • c Ciber de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain, Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Granada, Spain
  • d Ciber de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
  • e Ciber de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain, Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Granada, Spain
  • f Centro Superior de Investigación en Salud Pública (CSISP), Valencia, Spain
  • g Grupo de Investigación en Salud Pública, Universidad Alicante, Alicante, Spain
  • h Grupo de Investigación en Salud Pública, Universidad Alicante, Alicante, Spain, Ciber de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain

Abstract

Objective: To compare the prevalence of gender-based violence among immigrant and Spanish women. To describe their responses to this problem and the possible differences. To identify specific interventions to deal with gender-based violence in immigrant women in Spain. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey through a self-administered questionnaire in 10,202 women attending primary care in Spain (2006-2007). A content analysis was performed of the follow-up report of law 1/2004 of integral protection measures against gender violence sent by each Spanish region (2005) and the most recent regional laws and acts. Results: The prevalence of gender-based violence was 14.3% in Spanish women and 27.9% in immigrant women. The likelihood of gender-based violence was higher in immigrant (odds ratio adjusted: 2.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.61-2.64). Immigrant women more frequently reported that they had denounced their intimate partners and that they did not know how to manage the situation. Some Spanish regions have already started interventions to overcome access barriers to social and health services, but only three have provided data on the number of immigrant women who received economic and occupational help up to 2005. Conclusions: Inequalities were observed in the prevalence of gender-based violence according to country of origin, with immigrant women being more frequently affected. Immigrant women more frequently denounce their intimate partners than Spanish women but this action does not guarantee effective results. Other specific interventions have been identified in some autonomous regions of Spain but these interventions need to be evaluated to ensure that they benefit immigrant women. © 2009 SESPAS.

Author Keywords

Immigration Prevalence Battered women Interventions

Index Keywords

Interpersonal Relations psychological aspect Sampling Studies human epidemiology middle aged statistics violence health service comparative study policy Adaptation, Psychological social support ethnology Spouse Abuse Health Services Needs and Demand human relation Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult cross-sectional study Humans Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female adaptive behavior questionnaire social welfare prevalence Women's Health Services Article organization and management Questionnaires partner violence adult migration legal aspect patient attitude Patient Acceptance of Health Care Battered Women public policy battered woman
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-72049107478&doi=10.1016%2fj.gaceta.2009.07.008&partnerID=40&md5=c489c76ed768d6c45a5d81ed3df77550
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2009.07.008
ISSN: 02139111
Cited by: 22
Original Language: Spanish