Domestic Violence and Its Impact on Women and Children: A Study at Zawia University Hospital Clinics

Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Zawia University, Zawia, Libya

*Corresponding Author: Fathi Alatrash, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Zawia University, Zawia, Libya; Email: [email protected]

Received Date: December 18, 2023

Published Date: February 8, 2024

Citation: Alatrash FM. (2024). Domestic Violence and Its Impact on Women and Children: A Study at Zawia University Hospital Clinics. Mathews J Foren. 5(1):14.

Copyrights: Alatrash FM. © (2024).

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study examined and evaluated the extent of domestic violence that occurs among a group of women attending Zawia University Hospital clinics and its effects on children. Also, study the factors that contribute to the increase in domestic violence in this group of studies. Method: Data was collected from in-person interviews with 400 married women aged 18–52 who took part in this study. They were divided into two groups of 200 women each. The study group included women who had experienced domestic violence, and the control group included women who had experienced no type of domestic violence. Results: Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the education level of the husband and/or wife and the increased rate of violence, where the rate increased with the low educational level. It was noted that 55% of the violence of husbands occurred at a range of ages (20–24), and then the ratio decreased gradually with the increasing age of the husband. Malnutrition was high (35.3%) among children in the study group compared with children in the control group (14%). Similarly, school problems, negligence, difficulty speaking, and bad language were higher among children in the study group than those in the control group. Overall, statistically, a significant difference was found between the effects of domestic violence on children in the study group and those in the control group.

Keywords: domestic violence, mothers, husbands, educational level, malnutrition, and nocturnal enuresis