A Decade Control Study On Domestic Violence In Hunan Industrial District

Objective:To investigate a decade transition of domestic violence (DV) in Hunan industrial district, and to provide scientific references for prevention and intervention on domestic violence.Methods:1. Prospective controlled study and case-control study method were used in this survey. Using the same investigation methods, the same questionnairs and investigators to re-investigate DV status in one of our former research sites, a large state-owned enterprises in Hunan province. In2001-2002, using a multi-stage sampling strategy,3294households were surveyed on DV.100households (2002group) were randomly selected from822households with a history of DV, involving106perpetrators and97victims, and compared to control group of100non-DV-households matched for family structures.100controls matched for perpetrators’ gender, age and family role were selected in non-DV-households.2011-2012, using the same methods,3579households in the same site were surveyed.100households (2012group) were convenience sampled, including103perpetrators and105victims, with the same way,100controls matched for perpetrators’ gender, age and family role were selected in non-DV-households.2. A Semi-structured and face-to-face interview was used. The same self-designed DV questionnaire was administered to perpetrators and victims of DV and controls, including general information (age, gender, education level, and income), family situation (number of family member, family structure, economic status, living conditions, family system), DV causes, DV forms, DV consequences, DV objects, and attitude towards DV.Results:1.2012group reported the top-ranked causes of DV was child education. The perpetrators problem and victims problem was significantly lower than2002group reported (P<0.01)2.2012group reported the most common forms of DV were verbal abuse, which was the same as2002group reported. All forms of DV between2012group and2002group were not significant differences (P>0.05).2012group reported multiple forms of domestic violence were significantly more than2002group. The victims with high middle school education in2012group suffered armed assault were significantly more than those in2002group (P<0.05)3. The perpetrators in2012group felt remorse and regret were significantly more than2002group. Victims suffered mental damage and physical injury in2012group were significantly higher than those in2002group (P<0.01)4. The prevalence of spousal violence in2012group was significantly higher than those in2002group (P<0.01). Both prevalences of spousal violence in the couple with only child family and child abuse in multi-generational family in2012group were significantly higher than those in2002group (P<0.01). Elderly abuse in a couple with more children family in2012group was significantly lower than2002group (P<0.05). Children and the elderly suffering from unarmed assault in2012group were significantly higher than in2002group (Ps<0.05-0.01).5. Both2012and2002group reported the the more perpetrators were male and more victims were female. Gender constitutes of perpetrators and victims between2012group and2002group were no significant differences. Age, education level, income and the proportion contributed to total family income of perpetrators were significantly higher than victims in2012group and2002group, respectively (Ps<0.01)6. Acceptance towards DV in perpetrators was significantly more than contols both in2012group and2002group (Ps<0.01). Acceptance towards DV in perpetrators of2012group was significantly less than2002group (P<0.01). Attitude towards DV of victims between2012group and2002group had no significant diffenrence (P>0.05)7. Per capita annual income, per capita living area, self-estimated economic and self-estimated living condition by family members between DV-household and non-DV-household had no significant differences in2012group and2002group, respectively (P>0.05). Self-estimated economic by DV-household members in2012group were significantly lower than2002group(P>0.05). The family system of DV-household between2012group and its controlled non-DV-household and2002group had no significant differences (Ps>0.05).Conclusions:1. Child education was also the leading cause of DV in Hunan industrial district during ten years.2. Psychological violence was still the most common DV form during ten years. The co-existence of two and more kinds of DV forms was growing. The victims with higher educational level suffering from physical violence increased.3. Perpetrators felt remorse and regret increased, and Acceptance towards DV was significantly reduced. There were more victims suffered from mental damage and physical injury.4. Spousal violence increased significantly, becoming the most common type of DV in Hunan industrial district. The elderly and children suffering from physical violence increased.