Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

• Interviewers were provided with a list of organisations that provide services or referrals tovictims of domestic violence and were instructed to give a copy of the list to abused women whoappealed to them for help.Table 12.1 Background characteristics of respondents12.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPONDENTSwho were asked questions about domestic violenceAs mentioned above, in every householdselected for the 2001-2002 ZDHS with eligiblewomen, one woman was randomly selected to answerthe domestic violence questions. Table 12.1 shows thepercentage of women in the domestic violence subsampleby background characteristics. A total of 5,029women answered the domestic violence questions,representing 92 percent of all women selected in thedomestic violence sub-sample (data not shown intable). Overall, the background characteristics ofwomen in the domestic violence sub-sample followsimilar patterns as those of women in the 2001-2002ZDHS sample (Chapter 3, Table 3.1). It is importantto acknowledge that despite all efforts to reassurewomen, women may have been reluctant to discussviolence or particular types of violence (physical orsexual). Willingness to report violence likely alsovaries by subgroup, affecting the differentials shown inmany of the tables to an unknown degree.12.3 EXPERIENCE OF BEATINGS OR PHYSICALMISTREATMENTDuring the 2001-2002 ZDHS, women selectedfor the domestic violence sub-sample were askedwhether their husband/partner or any other person hadever slapped, hit, kicked, thrown things at them, ordone anything else to physically hurt them since age15. Women who answered ‘Yes’ to this question aredefined as having experienced physical violence. Therespondents were also asked whether they hadexperienced physical violence in the 12 months priorto the survey and, if yes, how many times thishappened during the past year.Table 12.2 shows the percentages of womenwho have experienced violence since age 15 and in the12 months preceding the survey by backgroundcharacteristics.Percent distribution of women in the domestic violencesub-sample, according to background characteristics,Zambia 2001-2002BackgroundcharacteristicPercentTotalWeightednumberAge15-19 23.3 1,17120-24 21.6 1,08625-29 17.8 89830-34 12.8 64435-39 9.9 49540-44 8.3 41845-49 6.3 317Marital statusNever married 24.6 1,237Married 60.8 3,057Divorced/separated 9.7 489Widowed 4.9 245ResidenceUrban 40.6 2,043Rural 59.4 2,986ProvinceCentral 7.3 367Copperbelt 20.1 1,010Eastern 12.2 614Luapula 8.1 410Lusaka 14.7 738Northern 13.6 684North-Western 4.6 232Southern 10.7 539Western 8.7 435EducationNo education 12.1 608Primary 58.2 2,929Secondary 26.3 1,320Higher 3.4 172Employment statusNot employed 44.4 2,233Employed for cash 31.9 1,604Employed, but not for cash 23.6 1,187Total 100.0 5,029More than half of women (53 percent) report having experienced beatings or physical mistreatmentsince age 15 and almost one out of four women (24 percent) report having experienced physical violence inthe past 12 months. Never-married women report having been beaten or physically mistreated since age 15significantly less often (41 percent) than ever-married women (57 percent), while similar proportions(21 percent of never-married and 24 percent of ever-married women) reportedly experienced physicalviolence during the last 12 months.186 | Violence against Women