Intimate Partner Violence and Its Association with Unwanted Pregnancy: A Community-Based Survey in Java, Indonesia

Department of Public Health, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, East Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding arum.romadlona.fik@um.ac.id

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) constitutes a significant public health concern, with prior research indicating that women subjected to IPV exhibit elevated rates of unwanted pregnancies and abortions. In Indonesia, intimate partner violence (IPV) is likely to rise due to socioeconomic variables that affect women's reproductive and social behaviors. This study aims to assess the correlation between intimate partner violence (IPV) and pregnancy intention among women of reproductive age in Java, Indonesia, where over 40% of the population resides. We performed a secondary data analysis using a community-based survey conducted in 2018 by Universitas Indonesia and the Guttmacher Institute. The dependent variable was unwanted pregnancy, whereas the independent factors consisted of four categories of lifetime intimate partner violence: physical violence, sexual violence, restriction, and economic violence. The analysis comprised a weighted sample of 8,969 women aged 15 to 49 years from six provinces in Java. The prevalence of unwanted pregnancy in Java was 12.1% while the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) was as follows: physical violence (4.8%), sexual violence (7.9%), restriction (26.5%), and economic violence (15.3%). The findings implied that women subjected to physical violence (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 2.6–4.9), sexual violence (OR: 2.9; 95% CI: 2.3–3.6), restriction (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.3–1.9), and economic violence (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.6–2.3) showed a higher risk to report unwanted pregnancies. These findings align with previous research, highlighting the urgent need for stronger strategies to ensure women's autonomy and prevent the adverse consequences of IPV on the health of women and children.