The association between female genital mutilation and intimate partner violence

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether female genital mutilation (FGM) is a risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV) and its subtypes (physical, sexual and emotional). DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study. SETTING: The study used the 2006 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in Mali. POPULATION: A total of 7875 women aged 15-49 years who responded to the domestic violence and female circumcision modules in the 2006 administration of the DHS in Mali. METHODS: Multivariable logistic regression was used to compute adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to measure risk for IPV. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes of interest were IPV and its subtypes. RESULTS: Women with FGM were at heightened odds of IPV (aOR 2.71, 95% CI 2.17-3.38) and IPV subtypes: physical (aOR 2.85, 95% CI 2.22-3.66), sexual (aOR 3.24, 95% CI 1.80-5.82), and emotional (aOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.68-3.11). The odds of IPV increased with ascending FGM severity (P for trend <0.0001). The most elevated odds were observed among women with severe FGM, who were nearly nine times as likely to experience more than one IPV subtype (aOR 8.81, 95% CI 5.87-13.24). CONCLUSIONS: Study findings underscore the need for multi-tiered strategies, incorporating policy and education, to reduce FGM and IPV, potentially improving the holistic health and wellbeing of Malian women.