The physical, sexual and emotional violence history of middle-aged women: a community-based prevalence study

Objectives: To determine current and lifetime rates of the experience of partner abuse and sexual violence in a community-based sample of middle-aged women and compare these to figures obtained in a general practice setting., Design and methods: This research was part of the Melbourne Women's Midlife Health Project (MWMHP), an observational, longitudinal, population-based study of 438 Australian-born women conducted over nine years. In 1996, during the sixth year of the study, we asked the MWMHP participants to complete a self-administered "violence questionnaire", incorporating a modified Conflict Tactics Scale and questions on sexual abuse experienced during childhood and adult life. Results: Of the 395 women remaining in the sixth year of follow-up of the MWMHP, 362 (92%) completed the questionnaire. Overall, 28.5% (n=101) of the women had experienced some form of domestic violence (physical, sexual or emotional) during their lifetime; 5.5% (n=15) of women had experienced severe physical abuse in the past year at the hands of a partner; and 11.8% (n=42) of the women had experienced rape or attempted rape between the age of 16 and the time of our survey. Regarding abuse in childhood, 8.9% (n=32) of women had experienced physical abuse, 42.3% (n=152) had experienced non-contact sexual abuse, and 35.7% (n=128) contact sexual abuse. Compared with the general-practice-based study, rates of childhood physical abuse and penetrative sexual abuse were similar, but rates of less intrusive child sexual abuse were significantly higher in our study. Conclusions: Doctors in all areas of medicine who are dealing with middle-aged women need to be aware of the levels of violence sustained by women throughout their lives. Such experiences may have a substantial impact on women's physical and mental wellbeing.