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Oral presentation No. 37 A review of the recent literature on domestic Engström K, Laflamme L Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health Sciences, |
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Abstract |
Domestic violence is a problem of increasing concern in Sweden. It is strongly felt that its prevention may require better knowledge concerning the roll played by social factors on the magnitude of the problem and the forms that it may take. The purpose of this study is to obtain knowledge from the scientific literature on the relationship between domestic violence and socioeconomic factors, ethnicity and gender at both an individual and a structural level. The published international scientific literature on domestic violence and social differences from 1980 onwards (comprising a total of 42 articles) is reviewed. It seems that domestic violence is closely related to socioeconomic status at an individual level. People of low socioeconomic status and/or of little education are over-represented as both victims and offenders. The influence of ethnicity is less clear. Some articles conclude that ethnic belonging is related to domestic violence in itself, others show that the ethnicity effect disappears after controlling for socioeconomic factors. The reviewed literature provides no evidence that socioeconomic factors at a structural level, for example income differences within a society, have any association with the level of domestic violence. The postulate that equality for women, both economic and sexual, is important for reducing domestic violence is generally supported by the studies described in the literature. There is domestic violence in all socioeconomic groups, all cultures and all societies but it is more prevalent in some than others. Preventive strategies can be effective, but need to take social differences into account. More research in this area is needed, especially at an individual level. |
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Keywords |
Domestic violence, Socioeconomic status, Ethnicity, Gender, Equality |
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Contact |
Engström Karin |
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Institution |
Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health Sciences, |
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Division of Social Medicine |
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Postaddress |
Norrbacka |
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City |
SE-171 76 Stockholm |
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Country |
Sweden |
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karin.engstrom@socmed.sll.se |
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Phone |
+ 46 (8) 517 779 28 |
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Fax |
+ 46 (8) 517 779 30 |