An explorative investigation of risk factors for intimate partner violence in women in a public hospital in Tshwane, South Africa

Abstract

This paper explores the risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) in women in a public hospital in Tshwane, South Africa. Multiple factors expose women to the risk of IPV, which has emerged as a serious global public health and human rights issue affecting women. The study used a qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual design to purposively select a sample of ten women to participate in the study. The researcher deliberately selected the participants from both the admission ward and the medicolegal/crisis centre because they were experiencing IPV. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of Limpopo, MEDUNSA Campus Research Ethics Committee. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data from the participants till saturation was reached. Content analysis was used to analyse the data through reading and re-reading of the transcripts, identifying initial codes, formulating, and finalising themes and subthemes. The study found that risk factors triggering IPV are multiple and affect women at various levels of the ecological model. Hence, women experiencing IPV are exposed to many risk factors that trigger and sustain the violence. There is an urgent need to develop interventions to eliminate the risk factors that expose women to IPV.