Collecting reliable information about violence against women safely in household interviews: experience from a large-scale national survey in South Asia

Violence Against Women. 2009 Apr;15(4):482-96. doi: 10.1177/1077801208331063. Epub 2009 Feb 11.

Abstract

This article describes the first national survey of violence against women in Pakistan from 2001 to 2004 covering 23,430 women. The survey took account of methodological and ethical recommendations, ensuring privacy of interviews through one person interviewing the mother-in-law while another interviewed the eligible woman privately. The training module for interviewers focused on empathy with respondents, notably increasing disclosure rates. Only 3% of women declined to participate, and 1% were not permitted to participate. Among women who disclosed physical violence, only one third had previously told anyone. Surveys of violence against women in Pakistan not using methods to minimize underreporting could seriously underestimate prevalence.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Battered Women / psychology
  • Battered Women / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Middle Aged
  • Pakistan / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Self Disclosure*
  • Social Values
  • Spouse Abuse / psychology
  • Spouse Abuse / statistics & numerical data*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Women's Health*
  • Young Adult