Perpetrator problem drinking and intimate partner violence victimization among women in Cambodia

The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among women and its correlates with perpetrator problem drinking in Cambodia. In the nationally representative cross-sectional 2014 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey a sample of ever married women aged 15 to 49 years (N=3498) were interviewed about domestic violence. Results indicate that 27.6% endorsed one or more partner control issues, and 16.7% of the women reported that their partner frequently gets drunk. The prevalence of lifetime physical violence was 16.2%, sexual violence, 5.5% and emotional violence, 14.8%, and the prevalence of lifetime physical and/or sexual violence was 18.2%. In adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses, frequent drunkenness of the male partner and having partner control issues were found to be highly associated with all types of IPV and physical and/or sexual violence. Problem drinking (often drunk) among male perpetrators is a strong predictor of IPV victimization among women in Cambodia. IPV prevention programmes should include the reduction of problematic alcohol consumption among men.