Intimate partner violence and sexual dysfunction in women admitted to psychiatry outpatient clinic Does culture affect outcomes?

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) not only affects women's physical and mental health, but also affects their sexual health and causes various sexual dysfunctions. It was aimed to reveal the relationship between possible IPV and mental and sexual health in Turkish and Arabic women. Method: The study was designed as cross-sectional and observational. The study included 105 (50 Arabic and 55 Turkish) women between the ages of 18-50 years old. Domestic Violence Against Women Scale, Golombok- Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction Scale, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventory were applied. Results: All women participating in the study were exposed to at least one of the subtypes of violence. A significant positive correlation was observed between Golombok-Rust total score and physical (p=0.003), emotional (p=0.006), verbal (p=0.027), sexual violence (p<0.001), and the total violence score (p=0.001). A significant positive correlation was observed between the total violence score and the infrequency (p=0.004), non-communication (p=0.024), avoidance (p=0.003), non-sensuality (p<0.001) scores. The scores of sexual communication, satisfaction, and anorgasmia were significantly higher and the score of sexual avoidance, non-sensuality and vaginismus was significantly lower in the Arabic women than in the Turkish women. Discussion: IPV and cultural differences are related to sexual functions. The possibility of IPV exposure should be considered and questioned in women applying to psychiatric outpatient clinics, taking into account the effects of different cultures.