Physical Intimate Partner Violence Justification and Female Genital Mutilation in Kenya: Evidence from the Demographic and Health Survey

ABSTRACT

Despite the dire physical, mental, and psychological consequences, research shows that some women justify the act of physical intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa including Kenya. Understanding female genital mutilation as a social norm that may be culturally sanctioned, we used the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey to explore the association between married women’s physical intimate partner violence justification and female genital mutilation status. Findings revealed that women who have undergone female genital mutilation were more likely to justify physical intimate partner violence than those who have not even after controlling for theoretically relevant variables (OR = 1.18; p < .01). Some policy recommendations and directions for future research were discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical intimate partner violence justification
• female genital mutilation
• social learning theory
• Kenya
• demographic and health survey