Prevalence and Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence among Ever-Partnered Women in South Africa

Stephina Mbele, PhD student

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global problem that affects both men and women, although women experience intimate partner violence more than men. Although common, each country experiences IPV differently. Different studies have reported different prevalences of IPV, although the highest prevalence reported is in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper focuses on ever-partnered women (18-49) and uses the cross-sectional secondary data from the 2016 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey to examine the prevalence and predictors for IPV among ever-partnered women in South Africa. The analysis (bivariate) showed that women from Eastern Cape, North West, and Mpumalanga had the highest prevalence of IPV whereas Gauteng province had the lowest prevalence. The multivariate analysis showed that (i) marital status, (ii) household wealth, (iii) afraid of partner, (iv) history of violence at home, (v) number of reasons beating is justified, and (vi) province were strongly associated with intimate partner violence.