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Prevalence of sexualized violence among womenA population-based study in a primary healthcare districtDepartment of Family Medicine, UmeÅ University, UmeÅ, guarig97{at}student.umu.se
Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala
Department of Family Medicine, UmeÅ University, UmeÅ, Sweden In order to estimate the prevalence of sexual and physical abuse, postal questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 251 adult women in a primary care district. Three yes/no-questions were asked on these topics, and a fourth inquired into effects on health. Space was left for open-ended answers in which yes-responders were invited to write about their experiences. A total of 175 women (70%) answered, and 25 (14%) of these reported abuse. Nine (5%) had experienced women battering. Thirteen (7.5%) reported sexual abuse as an adult, and 12 (7%) as a child. Many told their stories. Methodological shortcomings in this study might explain why the rates are somewhat lower than in other investigations. However, our figures verified that abuse of women is a common social phenomenon. They also confirmed abuse as a major health problem for women. One-third of respondents explicitly reported effects on health. Others, though negating such effects, described them in written narratives. In order to study this contradiction, in-depth interviews with abused women are recommended.
Key Words: childhood sexual abuse • population-based study • primary care • questionnaire • sexual abuse • sexualized violence • women battering.
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 27, No. 4,
247-253 (1999) |
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