Acceptability of Violence Against Women among Roma population

Acceptability of Violence Against Women among Roma population in Spain Carmen Vives-Cases, Pablo Caballero, Diana Gil-González, Daniel La Parra Funding: “National Health Survey to Roma Population 2013 -2014”, IP Diana Gil-Gonzalez, Project Ref. PI 12/00842 and “Comparative impact evaluation: Roma National Integration Strategies”, Project Ref. CSO 201783787 -P, IP Daniel La Parra

Presentation overview • • • Introduction/Justification General Aim Methods Main Results Limitations Conclusion

Justification/ Presentation • The acceptability of VAW is a key dimension in the study of this problem, given its influence on violent behavior and the decisions of women who are affected (Gracia, 2004; Gracia & Herrero, 2006). It is related to: – Blaming victims – Underestimation of VAW severity – Empathy towards agressors • In the population of Roma women, the largest ethno-cultural minority in Europe, VAW has barely been addressed. • To our knowledge, this is the first study about VAW acceptability among Roma population in Europe.

General Aim To analyze the magnitude of acceptability of VAW and associated factors among population in Spain.

Methods • The data used in the analysis have been obtained from the Roma population National Health Survey 2013 -2014 in Spain, a project funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, and conduced by the University of Alicante. • Data were collected from household interviews, on a final sample of 1167 cases. • Main outcome: Acceptability of VAW (yes/no) – Yes: 1) Acceptable in all circumstances, 2) Acceptable in certain circumstances, 3) Not acceptable but should not always be punishable by law – No: Unacceptable and should always be punishable by law.

Methods Explicative variables: – Sociodemographics (age, sex, education level, income, and economic situation in infancy and at age 14) – Other social/ family circunstances (living with the father at age 14, living with the mother at age 14, current dependent children, having other dependents, marriage status, religion, and social support) – Experiences of discrimination – Acquaintance with a battered woman and/or agressor Analyses: descriptive & analytic study (bivariate & multivariate regression models)

Main Results Table 1: VAW Acceptability among Roma Population in Spain. 2014. Men Women Total OR Acceptability n (%) (IC 95%) No 352 (66. 5) 420 (75. 0) 772 (66. 2) 0. 66* Yes 177 (33. 5) 140 (25. 0) 317 (34. 8) (0. 51 - 0. 86) Acceptable in all or 57 (4. 9) 40 (7. 6) 17 (3. 0) certain circumstances Not acceptable but should not always be punishable by law 137 (25. 9) 123 (22. 0) 260 (22. 3)

Main Results

Limitations • The sampling method used consisted of selecting those areas where a larger number of Roma people live. Thus, Roma population residing in other neighborhoods were not included in the sample. • Both outcome and explanatory variables were collected by self-response measures. • Inherent challenges in a quantitative cross-sectional study, which do not permit us to fully understand why a certain factor is associated with greater or lower probability of acceptability.

Conclusions • Although the majority of the Roma population in Spain considers VAW unacceptable in all circumstances, the proportion of people who accept it is still one of the highest in Europe and Spain. • This study identifies different factors associated with lower acceptability of VAW. These include improvements in the population socioeconomic situation and a negative attitude towards violence among those who practice evangelical religion. • Improvements in socioeconomic conditions can contribute to raise awareness about the severity and consequences of VAW in Roma population.

THANK YOU! Carmen Vives-Cases, Pablo Caballero, Diana Gil-González, Daniel La Parra Funding: “National Health Survey to Roma Population 2013 -2014”, IP Diana Gil-Gonzalez, Project Ref. PI 12/00842 and “Comparative impact evaluation: Roma National Integration Strategies”, Project Ref. CSO 201783787 -P, IP Daniel La Parra