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Incidence and Impact of Family Violence on Mental Health Among South Korean Women: Results of a National Survey

NCJ Number
226711
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 24 Issue: 3 Dated: April 2009 Pages: 193-202
Author(s)
Jaeyop Kim; Sookyung Park; Clifton R. Emery
Date Published
April 2009
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This representative South Korean national survey examined the incidence of husband-to-wife violence in the past year, lifetime exposure to parental violence, and the links between victimization experience of family violence and mental health among South Korean women (n=1,079).
Abstract
The study found that the rate of husband-to-wife violence was 29.5 percent among South Korean women, according to information collected by telephone interviews conducted from October 26, 1999, to March 31, 2000. This is a much higher incidence of husband-to-wife violence measured in other nations. Their experiences of physical violence perpetrated by husbands in the last year and lifetime verbal abuse by parents had strong links with the mental health of victims. The findings suggest that preventive intervention programs for male perpetrators are needed, along with mental health services for domestic violence victims and comprehensive interventions for couples. In addition, parents should be instructed in how to modify their parenting interactions with their children, such that physical punishment and/or verbal abuse are not used in attempts to change their children’s behavior. The study involved a sample of 1,500 women from large and small-to-midsized cities and rural areas. Of the 1,500 women sampled, data were analyzed for the 1,079 who were living with their husbands at the time of the interview. 5 tables and 54 references