Understanding Violence in Relationships: A Look at Burkina Faso During COVID-19

In Burkina Faso, a recent study looked at how common violence between partners was during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that nearly 3 out of 10 women experienced some form of violence from their partner in 2021. This is almost double the rate from 2010. The study focused on women aged 15 to 49. Most of these women lived in rural areas and had not finished school. The most common type of violence was emotional abuse, followed by physical and sexual abuse. Several factors were linked to a higher risk of violence. For example, women who had seen their fathers beat their mothers or whose partners drank alcohol were more likely to experience violence. Also, disagreements about family size and being the first wife in a polygamous marriage increased the risk. On the other hand, women who did not work, had educated partners, lived in rural areas, or had smaller households were less likely to experience violence. This suggests that education and economic factors play a big role in reducing violence. The study also raised an important question: Is the increase in violence due to the pandemic, or is it a long-term trend? More research is needed to find out. In the meantime, efforts to reduce violence should focus on couples who are at higher risk based on these findings.