Prevalence and Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Burundi: Evidence from 2016-17 Demographic and Health Survey

Abstract

Athanase Nzokirishaka and Martin Palamuleni

Background: Intimate Partner Violence against Women (IPVAW) is a human rights and public health problem worldwide and is associated with negative consequences for the mother, family, and community. The study aims to determine the prevalence and determinants of intimate partner violence among married women in Burundi, to inform strategies and programs to reduce domestic violence.

Methods: This study consists of the secondary analysis of the 2016-17 Burundi Demographic and Health Survey. The study population consisted of 6014 married women, interviewed using the domestic violence questionnaire. The research applied Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression to identify the factors influencing IPVAW in Burundi, at a 95% statistical significance.

Results: The study established the overall prevalence of IPVAW at 48.4%, whereas physical violence was 37.0%, sexual violence 24.4% and emotional violence 22.9%. Intimate partner violence varies by background characteristics of the women. The multivariate analysis identified as risk factors to IPVAW the age of the woman, the province of residence, the number of children ever born, the discordance within the couple on the number of children desired, the childhood experience of parental violence, the husband's controlling behaviour, the husband drinking alcohol and husband's age.

Conclusion: IPVAW is high in Burundi. Social, economic and cultural factors are some of the predictors of the high prevalence. These factors should constitute the basis for designing programmes and policies aimed at reducing IPVAW.

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