VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Abstract

Background: Violence against women is an important public health problem. It has global significance regarding violation of human rights. Violence is an important risk factor related to ill health of women, having far reaching consequences affecting physical, social, mental and reproductive health of the victims. Objectives: To study the various types of interpersonal violence against women and find out the magnitude of physical violence and sexual assault among the victims. Study Design: A descriptive hospital record based study. Setting & Duration: The study was conducted from January to December 2005 in casualty out patient department of Allied Hospital, Punjab Medical College (PMC), Faisalabad. Methodology: Total 286 cases of violence, who reported for medico-legal examination during calendar year 2005, were included in the study. The cases of physical violence / sexual assault were examined in detail. Findings were tabulated and analyzed. Results: Among total 286 cases, 221 (77%) victims were married, and commonly involved age group was 21–30 years accounting for 82 (28.68%) victims. Blunt trauma was sustained by 193 (67.50%) victims, sharp edged weapon affected 17 (6.0%) cases, firearm bears the responsibility in 13 (4.54%) victims, a mix pattern of injuries by sharp / blunt objects was observed in 8(2.80%) females and (1.75%) women were said to be burnt. Forty-three (15%) cases were reported as victims of alleged sexual assault with peak incidence during 2nd decade of life in age group 11–20 years involving 23 (53.5%) cases. Among total 43 cases of sexual assault, 27 (63%) victims belonged to rural areas. Twenty Eight (65%) unmarried girls were subjected to sexual assault. In 43 sexual assault victims, semen was detected in 28 (65%) cases, 13 (30%) cases were negative; whereas reports of 2 (5%) cases were not available in the record. Conclusions: The cases of physical violence are common in Faisalabad and incidence of sexual assault is higher in rural areas more commonly affecting the unmarried young girls. There is need to attend this public health problem with concrete efforts to stop the violence against women & reduce the incidence of sexual assaults.