Alcoholism and intimate partner violence

This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study that aimed to assess and document the prevalence of and relationship between alcoholism and gender based violence (GBV) in families in Kenya. The study lasted 24 months (March 2006 to March 2008). A total of 200 respondents (100 male subjects and their 100 female partners) were interviewed for the study. Out of the 100 men, 50 were experimental (confirmed alcoholics) and 50 were controls (non-alcoholics). Data collection methods comprised the use of the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 (CTS2) (Strauss et al, 1996) to characterize conjugal violence and battering. Review of patients’ files yielded both quantitative and qualitative data. Data analysis methods included use of both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicated that female partners of alcoholics suffered more intimate partner violence than their counterparts of nonalcoholics. The alcoholics subjected their female partners to more psychological aggression, physical assault, injury and sexual coercion than non-alcoholics. This study concluded that conjugal acts of violence and aggression are both directly and indirectly associated with alcoholism. Broadly, these acts of violence and aggression are gender based violence against women perpetrated by their partners. Although these acts of violence and aggression were found to be consequences of alcoholism in this study, alcoholism in the family could be the outcome of other underlying problems. This study therefore recommends that further research be conducted in this area to find out the family and societal factors that may lead to alcoholism.