Journal of Interpersonal Violence
27(13) 2545–2564
© The Author(s) 2012
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DOI: 10.1177/0886260512436390
http://jiv.sagepub.com
436390JIV 27 13 10.1177/0886260512436390S
töckl et al.Journal of Interpersonal Violence
© The Author(s) 2012
Reprints and permission: http://www.
sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav
1
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
2
University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Corresponding Author:
Heidi Stöckl, PhD, Social & Mathematical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UK
Email: Heidi.Stoeckl@lshtm.ac.uk
Intimate Partner
Violence Against
Older Women in
Germany: Prevalence
and Associated Factors
Heidi Stöckl, PhD,
1
Charlotte Watts, PhD,
1
and Bridget Penhale, MSc
2
Abstract
Violence against women is a recognized human rights and public health issue,
with significant impacts on women’s life and health. Until now, several studies,
most of them relying on small scale samples, have explored the prevalence
and health effects of intimate partner violence against older women, whereas
few have examined what actually puts older women at risk of intimate part-
ner violence. This study is based on a secondary analysis of the first national
survey on violence against women in Germany, looking at the prevalence and
associated factors for physical and for sexual violence by the current partners
of women aged 50 to 65 and women aged 66 to 86 years. The prevalence of
violence in women’s current relationships was 12% and 5%, respectively. In
both age groups, women who had experienced violence during childhood and
nonpartner physical or sexual violence after the age of 16 had higher odds
of experiencing current partner violence. Current partner violence was as-
sociated only with women and their partner’s level of education and women’s
vocational training among women aged 66 to 86 years. Relationships where
one or both partners drank heavily in recent months were associated with
Article