Violence Against Young Women Is Common Among First-degree Relatives

In a study conducted by Kuwait University researchers in collaboration with Asia Research and Statistical Consulting Company, the university determined how many shelters, counseling centers, and hotlines there are for abused women in the country based on the extent of violence against women. Dr. Lubna Al-Qadi and Dr. Maha Al-Sajari, Dr. Anwar Al-Khreinej, Dr. Ahmad Al-Sabr, Dr. Dalal Al-Baloul, and Dr Hamad Al-Aslawi are the authors of the study. It was reported that around 10,000 Kuwaiti women participated in the study, with the majority belonging to the age group of 18 to 25 years, or 47 percent of the total number. This was followed by women between the ages of 26 and 33 (17 percent) and those between 34 and 41 (13 percent).

The majority of participants (53 percent) are single, 50 percent are married, and six percent are divorced. Nearly two-thirds of the participants hold a bachelor's degree (67 percent), while 14 percent hold a diploma, and 12 percent hold less than a high school diploma.

About half of the participants (49 percent) work for the government, and about one-third (30 percent) work for the private sector. There are participants from six different governorates, and their distribution by governorate is almost identical.

2772 respondents or 35.5% responded in the affirmative when asked whether they knew women currently subjected to violence in Kuwait. A total of eight percent of the sample confirmed that they are currently exposed to violence and need urgent therapeutic intervention. It was found that 20 out of every 10,000 Kuwaiti women were at risk of death as a result of the total percentage of women who are currently exposed to violence (43.5 percent).

Regarding the identity of the aggressors, the most prominent aggressors against women are first-degree relatives. Violence against women is primarily verbal with 6.9 percent, followed by psychological violence such as detention, deprivation, or blackmail at 4.8 percent, physical violence at 4.3 percent, and mental violence at 3.7 percent. Most of the participants in the study supported the establishment of a 24-hour emergency hotline, which operates seven days a week, for reporting any emergencies that could threaten their lives. The majority of participants confirmed that a day counseling center should be established so that women who have been victims of violence get the guidance and treatment they need, whether they are in an emergency or not; while 86 percent of the study participants affirmed the need for shelters or housing for abused women that protect victims whose lives are at risk.

Dr Maha Al-Sajari indicated that the results of the exploratory study according to the social and demographic variables of the study sample in all governorates of Kuwait indicate a strong desire to establish shelters, a hotline, and centers for social and psychological counseling for abused women. She said there is a high demand in the Kuwaiti society, especially among the youth group, to establish shelters for abused women. The study also revealed that the father, husband, and mother mostly engage in violence toward women and that verbal violence is the most common type of violence among members of the study sample. Dr Lubna Al-Qadi explained that the results of this study are consistent with the World Health Organization statistics, stating that 30 percent of women in society suffer from violence and that the aggressor is a first-degree relative of the victim.

It is imperative that society spends long periods of time educating itself about the importance of healthy family relationships that are built on understanding and respect and free of violence. The lack of awareness of violence in theoretical terms is one of the most common factors that push people to assault others, whether they are men or women. As a result, a generation is created that views such practices as a legitimate right and part of educational practices. The importance of awareness and healthy socialization based on respect for relationships, roles, differences, distances, and choices was stressed by Al-Khreinej.

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