International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 19, Number 11 > Pp. 747-751

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Original research articles

Domestic violence in a genitourinary medicine setting – an anonymous prevalence study in women

W C Loke MBBS , L Bacchus PhD, C Torres MSc and E Fox MBBS

Lydia Clinic, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK

Correspondence to: Dr Wai Ching Loke, Lydia Clinic, First Floor Lambeth Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, UK Email: wai.loke{at}gstt.nhs.uk

Domestic violence (DV) affects around one in four women in the UK. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of DV and the associations with sociodemographic and sexual behaviour variables in female attendees of an inner-city genitourinary (GU) medicine clinic. In this cross-sectional survey, 177 of 380 women (46.6%) disclosed a history of abuse and 17.4% reported DV in the preceding 12 months. Women with a history of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) were more likely to have experienced DV at some point in their lives (odds ratio [OR] = 2.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.58–3.63). Logistic regression analysis revealed that being black compared with white, (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 2.4–12.5) current cohabitation with a partner (OR = 2.24; 95% CI: 1.06–4.75), increasing number of sexual partners in the last year (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.01–1.5) and consumption of illicit drugs (OR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.02–4.11) were significantly associated with DV in the last 12 months but age, current occupation, history of STIs, age of coitarche and condom use were not. DV was common in this GU medicine clinic population and associated with STIs. We recommend that health practitioners undergo training to increase awareness of the links between partner violence and sexual health problems.

Key Words: domestic violence • sexually transmitted infections • genitourinary medicine clinics

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