Anatolian Women's Opinions Attitudes and Behaviors toward Violence against Women

Objective: Violence against women is a global humanitarian problem. The present study evaluates the opinions, attitudes and behaviors of women living in the Kars province of Turkey toward violence against women, and analyses the socio-demographic factors that influence both physical violence, and the opinions, attitudes and behaviors of women toward such violence. Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted with 183 volunteer women aged 17- 83 years who benefited from healthcare services in a family health center clinic in the Kars province of Turkiye. The survey questions were prepared based on a Turkish report on domestic violence against women (2014). Results: Of the women in the study sample, 71.7% had been subjected to physical violence (41.3% moderate physical violence and 30.4% some form of severe physical violence), and a younger age (p<0023), relatively short relationship duration (p<0.041), low educational level of the partner (p<0.029) and low family income (p<0.002) were all found to significantly increase the risk of physical violence against women. Low family income in particular increased the risk of physical violence 3.152-fold. Women with a higher level of education and with greater economic independence, those in employment and those in the relatively younger age group (& LE;45 years) mostly considered violence against women to be "never acceptable". Furthermore, the women who sought legal aid when exposed to violence by their partners were predominantly in the well-educated and economically independent groups, to a significant degree. Conclusions: Culture, education and economic status are the main risk factors for violence against women. Multidimensional studies are required to better understand the root causes of such behaviors..