A retrospective descriptive study on female victims of intimate partner violence

Abstract

Background: In Sri Lanka, intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant issue affecting many women. The way they face to such violence is influenced by various cultural, social, and individual factors. Despite of the many actions which were taken to reduce/prevent IPV, the numbers are remains high. Few studies which conducted on victims' response towards the IPV show, most of them seek support at very late stage. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of the violence and victims' response towards it. Method: This retrospective descriptive study included female victims who admitted to three different teaching hospitals in three different provinces of Sri Lanka following IPV in 2024. Data was collected from medico legal records based on a questionnaire. Results: There were 80 females. The victims' ages ranged from 18 to 63 years, with a mean age of 37.5. Out of 80 females 90% were legally married while others were cohabiting. In 62.5%, IPV had been started after few years of marriage. 70% of them were assaulted using weapons and it was mainly the blunt force weapons. Out of 80, nearly 64% claimed the severity had been increased with the time. In 35% of them had previous hospital admissions and 66% had previous police entries. But 70 (87.5%) of them still were living with the intimate partner and from total, 35% (28) had decided to continue the same life. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight that a significant proportion of female victims continue to live with their abusers, with many showing signs of increased severity over time. This emphasizes the urgent need for effective interventions to empower women to seek help earlier and break the cycle of abuse.