Childhood Trauma, Type of Marriage and Self-Esteem as Correlates of Domestic Violence in Married Women in Turkey

• NCJ Number: 231885
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 25 Issue: 7 Dated: October 2010 Pages: 661-668
• Author(s): Nevin Hotun Sahin; Sermin Timur; Ayla Berkiten Ergin; Ayten Taspinar; Nevin Akdolun Balkaya; Sevde Cubukeu
• Date Published: October 2010
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the type of violence to which women were exposed during childhood and adulthood, and the effect of the type of marriage on the self-esteem of Turkish women and their exposure to domestic violence.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine childhood trauma, the type of marriage, and level of self-esteem as correlates of domestic violence in married women in Turkey. The study sample consisted of 750 women aged 20 and over, selected through face to face interviews. More than half the women were exposed to domestic violence, which increases with factors like lower economic status, teenage and arranged marriages and a large number of children. According to the logistic regression model, arranged marriages, sexual problems and physical abuse during childhood lead to an increase in the occurrence of domestic violence, while this decreases as the partners age. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scores were significantly lower in women subjected to domestic violence and this decrease became statistically significant as the level of abuse experienced during childhood increased. Tables and references (Published Abstract)