An Exploratory Study On The Contexts Of Domestic Violence In Gondar Town Northwest Ethiopia

Background: Increasingly domestic violence is being recognized as an important public healthrnconcern. However, we know little how and why domestic violence occurs.rnObjective: To obtain in-depth contextual insights about domestic violencernMethods: A qualitative study was conducted in Gondar town between December 2004 andrnFebruary 2005 involving women, men, victims, abusers, “Yager Shimaglies,” legal bodies andrnprofessionals with vested interest and/or expertise in gender issues. Six focus group discussionsrnand five in-depth interviews were carried out with purposively selected subjects. OpenCodernsoftware was used to code, search and sort data and conceptual framework was constructedrnfollowing grounded theory approach.rnResults: Contextual factors (ideological, economic and politico-legal factors) deny women equalrnopportunity as men contributing to their subordination, predispose them to abuse and justify andrnperpetuate violence. Causal conditions (like economic reasons, drinking and sexualrnincompatibility) give rise to discontent and misunderstanding in marriage. Interveningrnconditions, which depend on gender norms, attitude and skills in conflict management andrnindividual socioeconomic standing, determine whether conflicts will grow into violence.rnConclusion: Domestic violence is rooted in the socioeconomic, cultural and politico-legalrncontext that upholds men dominance. IEC, empowerment of women and reforming laws andrntranslating them into action are recommended.rnKeywords: domestic violence, qualitative study, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews,rnOpenCode, grounded theory

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