Nationwide Survey on Domestic Violence against Women Republic of ArmeniaRepublic of Armenia National Statistical ServiceNational Statistical Service UNFPA / ArmeniaUNFPA / Armenia C-GBV ProjectC-GBV Project

It is the first nationally representative sample survey on violence against women and is one of a kind because of its scope, scale, methodology and the status of the obtained results. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

The objectives of the study were as follows: to produce accurate and reliable official and internationally comparable baseline data on prevalence and incidence of major forms of intimate partner and non-partner violence against women and thus to obtain valid estimates about the scale and scope of the phenomenon. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

The objectives of the study were as follows: to make recommendations with a view to helping relevant government agencies design more effective and better-targeted policies and interventions to address the problem of violence against women. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

The research in Armenia is a part of the bigger region-wide effort in the field of GBV data collection. In Armenia, conduction of the survey was made by National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia (NSS RA). Technical support for the survey was provided by UNFPA CGBV staff and a group of International experts. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Sample Design – sample & cluster size The research consists of a quantitative survey component providing representative information at 1) Yerevan, 2) other urban and 3) rural levels. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

The sampling frame for the survey was built using the database of addresses created for the 2001 Population Census. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

A representative probability sample of 4,720 households was selected for the survey sample. The sampling was designed in two stages. In the first stage, 236 clusters (with 20 h/h per cluster) were selected from the list of enumeration areas. In the second stage households were selected randomly.. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

For Yerevan the sample size of households was calculated as 1,440, for other urban areas – 1,280, and for rural areas – 2,000. The total sample size was calculated as 4,720 h/h. The confidence interval was 95.0%. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

The target group for the survey was women in the age bracket Thus, all women aged were eligible to be interviewed. Interviews/questionnaires were completed with 2,763 women. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Stratification The database of addresses of all households was divided into 48 strata: 12 communities of Yerevan city (12 strata), big towns with and more residents (16 strata), other urban areas (10 strata), and villages (10 strata). NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Questionnaires The model WHO questionnaire was adapted by experts from the NSS and UNFPA, as both agencies were responsible for survey design and implementation. All changes were approved by international consultants and experts from UN agencies. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

The Questionnaire obtained data from women of age on the following Respondent and her community General health Reproductive health Children Current or most recent partner Attitudes Respondent and her sexual partner Injuries Impact and coping Other experiences Financial autonomy Anonymous reporting of childhood sexual abuse; respondents’ feedback NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Response Rates 2798 women in these households were identified as eligible for the individual interview, and interviews were completed with 2763 women. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Data Analysis and National Report UNFPA CGBV established a group of experts for national report preparation. Participants of the working group were representatives of: RoA Ministry of Labor and Social issues, RoA Ministry of Health, RoA Police Department, NGO community and Academia. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Preliminary findings of the study are as follows: Respondents’ understanding of gender-based violence Overwhelming majority of the surveyed women agree that any act on the part of woman’s intimate partner that results in physical injury and coercion to sexual intercourse is violence (91.5% and 88.8% respectively). 78.5% regard degrading woman in public as violence. The smaller percentage of them regard as violence the withholding of money (67.6%) or forbidding woman to work (68.4%) or verbal threats (including threats of divorce and injury) (63.5%). Only 52.7% of the surveyed women regard verbal abuse (including defamation, slander and shouting) as violence. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Respondents’ understanding of gender-based violence Urban/rural women  91.0% of the respondents from urban areas vs. 82.7% from rural areas find forced sex to be violence.  81.8% of the respondents from urban areas vs. 69.4% from rural areas regard degrading woman by her intimate partner in public as violence.  Forbidding woman to work (68.0% vs. 51.2%), withholding of money (72.5% vs. 54.3%) and of verbal threats (68.0% vs. 51.2%). NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Prevalence of psychological/emotional violence The data from the present survey shows that psychological violence tops the list, as the majority of victimizations are in this category: 61.0% of women were exposed to controlling behavior As evidenced by data 25.0% of the ever-partnered surveyed women said they had been subjected to at least one form of the psychological violence listed in the questionnaire. 24.6% of the women had been insulted by their intimate partners, while only 7.9% were humiliated in front of other people, 5.1% were intimidated on purpose and merely 2.8% were threatened that they or someone they care about would be hurt. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Prevalence of psychological/emotional violence Prevalence of psychological violence is correlated with the victims’ level of education:  36.3% in case of women with basic education  27.5% in case of secondary general  21.1% in case of specialized secondary  22.6% when victims are women with higher education. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Physical violence Physical violence against women perpetrated by intimate partners is less prevalent in Armenia than psychological violence and controlling behavior. Thus, 8.9% of the ever-partnered surveyed women said that they had been subjected by their intimate partners to at least one form of physical violence.  “mild” form of violence - 8.0% of women in this group report having been slapped or thrown something at them that could hurt them.  “moderate” forms: as 4.4% were pushed or shoved, 4.1% were hit with his fist, 2.3% were kicked, dragged or beaten up. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

76.4% to 88.7% of the women physically abused by their intimate reported that they had been abused “a few times” or “many times”. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Sexual violence It would seem from the survey data that sexual violence against women is not a widespread phenomenon in Armenia. --- Thus, only 3.2% of the surveyed ever-partnered women indicated that they had ever been subjected to at least one of the above-mentioned forms of sexual violence by their intimate partners % of the surveyed ever-partnered women reported having been subjected to at least one form of sexual violence. NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Correlation between physical and sexual violence According to the survey data, virtually 4 in 5 sexually abused women were also abused physically. every fifth woman, who is subjected to physical violence, is also a victim to sexual abuse (at least 20% of those women who experienced physical violence by an intimate partner, were also forced by him to have sex). NATIONWIDE SURVEY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – ARMENIA

Thank you NATIONAL STATISTICAL SERVICE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA Republic ave. 3 Government House Yerevan 0010 Republic of Armenia Telephone: (37410) Fax: (37410) Internet: