JIVXXX10.1177/0886260517696861Journal of Interpersonal ViolenceEldoseri and Sharps 696861research-article2017 Article Journal of Interpersonal Violence 1 –25 Risk Factors for Spousal © The Author(s) 2017 Reprints and permissions: Physical Violence Against sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517696861DOI: 10.1177/0886260517696861 Women in Saudi Arabia journals.sagepub.com/home/jiv Halah M. Eldoseri1 and Phyllis Sharps2 Abstract This study aimed to explore selected risk factors for spousal physical violence (SPV) in women frequenting primary health care clinics (PHCs) in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study design was conducted in six PHCs, where one-on- one, private interviews with 200 women were conducted using a standardized World Health Organization (WHO) violence against women questionnaire (v.10.0). SPV was reported by 45.5% of women. Husband-specific risk factors including alcohol or drug addiction, unemployment, control of wealth in the family, and physical aggression toward other men were significant predictors for SPV. A multisectoral approach should be implemented with focus on providers’ training, women’s safety, and involvement of men in violence prevention and intervention programs. Keywords domestic violence, alcohol and drugs, battered women, cultural contexts Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a prevalent public health problem, whether globally or in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). It 1The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, DC, USA 2Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Corresponding Author: Halah M. Eldoseri, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, 1050 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1060, Washington, DC 20036, USA. Email:
[email protected] 2 Journal of Interpersonal Violence poses a serious threat to women’s mental and physical health, including depression, suicide and self-harm, chronic physical pain, gynecological prob- lems, femicide, and poor functional health among other adverse health out- comes (Dillon, Hussain, Loxton, & Rahman, 2013).