Information communication technologies and intimate partner violence among women in sub-Saharan African countries

Bibliographic Data

ID2926437
AuthorsMarifa Muchemwa (0000-0002-1957-9513, University of the Witwatersrand, corresponding author), Million Phiri (0000-0002-1663-7503, University of the Witwatersrand), Oluwatoyin Aladejebi (0000-0001-5746-0313, University of the Witwatersrand)
Year2025
Volume42
Issue2
Pages495-523
Publication date2025-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/02654075241301441
OpenAlexW4404314805
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited66

Intimate partner violence is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa with women the usual victims. Efforts to address intimate partner violence (IPV) include interventions with information communication technologies (ICT) that are being used to raise awareness and promote the empowerment of women. Thus, there is a need to examine the relationship between ICT ownership and IPV among women in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional study of four countries in sub-Saharan Africa using the Demographic and Health Survey data. Ownership of ICT was the main predictor variable that was measured by ownership of a radio, television, mobile phones, and access to the Internet. The outcome variable was IPV, which was measured in two forms: physical and sexual violence. A multivariable analysis using binary logistic regression was used to examine the association between ownership of ICT devices and intimate partner violence (IPV) among women. In Zambia and Mali, women who own ICT devices were significantly less likely to experience sexual violence than those who did not own ICT devices. Predictors such as age, place of residence, education, wealth status, employment status, number of children and age at first marriage were significantly associated with experiences of IPV, even though the strength of this relationship varied across countries and types of IPV. Access to ICT should be promoted among women because ICT can raise awareness and offer women a platform for receiving social support and advice about coping with intimate partner violence

Developmental psychology · Domestic violence · Environmental health · Poison control · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Psychology · Sex work and related issues · Social Psychology

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