Intersections between childhood abuse and adult intimate partner violence among Ecuadorian women

Strong linkages exist between childhood abuse and adult intimate partner violence (IPV) among women in high-income countries, but few studies have examined this pattern in low-income nations. This study explores the effect of childhood physical and/or psychological abuse on the likelihood of IPV among a nationally representative sample of Ecuadorian women of reproductive age. The 2004 Encuesta Demografía y de Salud Materna e Infantil survey is utilized in this analysis, which includes 9,077 women who completed a module about violence experiences, had ever been in a relationship and were not missing data. Cross-tabulations and multivariate logistic regression models are employed to assess whether women who experienced childhood abuse had a higher likelihood of experiencing sexual, physical or psychological IPV during their lifetimes or within the past year. Levels of abuse were high. Thirty-two percent of women reported childhood psychological or physical abuse, and 23 percent experienced both types of abuse. Forty percent of women reported sexual, physical or psychological IPV during their lifetimes, while 15 percent reported any form of IPV in the past year. The co-occurrence of childhood psychological and physical abuse was highly predictive of all forms of lifetime and recent IPV, with less consistent associations for women who reported only childhood physical or psychological abuse. These results suggest that childhood abuse is an important risk factor for IPV victimization among Ecuadorian women. While this analysis supports findings from high-income countries, more research about patterns of violence throughout the life course that considers cross-cultural influences is needed in order to develop relevant prevention programs.