Abstract
To assess prevalence of interpersonal violence among a mixed gender sample of immigrants in Portugal, describing the type
of violence and associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2008 and May 2009, evaluating a
sample of 702 immigrants residing in the Lisbon region. Information was obtained by trained interviewers using a structured
questionnaire. Overall, 15.1 % (15.5 % females and 14.7 % males; p = 0.844) of the immigrants reported to be victims of at least one episode of violence during the last year, regardless of
which type of violence was involved. The prevalence of intimate-partner violence was 4.1 %, and it was significantly higher
among women than men (7.1 % vs. 0.9 %, respectively, p < 0.001). Women who reported being victims of violence during the previous year stated that the episodes occurred more often
at home (54.4 %) with the partner as the perpetrator (43.9 %). On the other hand, male victims stated that the violent episodes
occurred mostly in public spaces (40.8 %); men indicated that the perpetrator was frequently a stranger (28.6 %) or a co-worker
(18.4 %). Violence is a frequent problem among both female and male immigrants living in Portugal, with different gender patterns
regarding the perpetrators and settings of abuse.
of violence and associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2008 and May 2009, evaluating a
sample of 702 immigrants residing in the Lisbon region. Information was obtained by trained interviewers using a structured
questionnaire. Overall, 15.1 % (15.5 % females and 14.7 % males; p = 0.844) of the immigrants reported to be victims of at least one episode of violence during the last year, regardless of
which type of violence was involved. The prevalence of intimate-partner violence was 4.1 %, and it was significantly higher
among women than men (7.1 % vs. 0.9 %, respectively, p < 0.001). Women who reported being victims of violence during the previous year stated that the episodes occurred more often
at home (54.4 %) with the partner as the perpetrator (43.9 %). On the other hand, male victims stated that the violent episodes
occurred mostly in public spaces (40.8 %); men indicated that the perpetrator was frequently a stranger (28.6 %) or a co-worker
(18.4 %). Violence is a frequent problem among both female and male immigrants living in Portugal, with different gender patterns
regarding the perpetrators and settings of abuse.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-6
- DOI 10.1007/s10903-012-9644-0
- Authors
- Sónia Dias, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical & CMDT – Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Sílvia Fraga, Institute of Public Health-University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal
- Henrique Barros, Institute of Public Health-University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal
- Journal Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
- Online ISSN 1557-1920
- Print ISSN 1557-1912