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• Comment: This is an essay, not an encyclopedia article. qcne (talk) 18:29, 11 January 2025 (UTC)

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Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Thailand

Many Thai women had experienced different types of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime; the prevalence rate is approximately 15.4%, with psychological violence found to be the most prevalent (60–68%), followed by sexual violence (62–63%) and physical violence (52–65%; Chuemchit et al., 2018). However, IPV rate is suggested to be underestimated, due to social norm that family issues should be kept private.

In terms of causes, there are several aspects that could be discussed about, including power dynamic and gender inequality (Thananowan et al., 2018; Sripichyakan, 1999), sociocultural norm (Laeheem & Boonprakarn, 2014; Rujiraprasert et al., 2009), economic stress and financial dependence (Xu et al., 2010), weak legal and policy frameworks (Chuemchit et al., 2018; Phollawan, 2017), and alcohol consumption (Sonthon et al., 2024; Wichaidit & Assanangkornchai, 2020; Ngamchad & Swaengcharoen, 2017).

IPV affects Thai women both physically and mentally. It is reported to be associated with an increased risk of femicide and substance use (Pengpid et al., 2018), as well as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal thoughts and behaviours (Panyayong et al., 2018; Peltzer & Pengpid, 2017). Victims cope with IPV in various ways, such as living with negative emotions, staying silent, seeking support, disconnecting between the fantasy of love and the reality, leaving the abusive relationship, or even contemplating suicide (Thananowan et al., 2018). Despite the significant effects of IPV, support resources for victims in Thailand remain limited.

Prevalence

A study by Chuemchit et al. (2018) revealed that one in every six married or cohabiting Thai women had experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) at some point in their lives. Psychological violence found to be the most prevalent (60–68%), followed by sexual violence (62–63%) and physical violence (52–65%).

Forms of Intimate Partner Violence Experienced by Thai Women
Psychological Violence	Physical Violence	Sexual Violence
scared (15.4%)	pushed or shoved (10.6%)	unwanted sexual intercourse (10.4%)
insulted (14.8%)	slapped or thrown (8.3%)	physically forced into sex (5.4%)
humiliated or belittled (10.9%)	punched with a fist (5.4%)	coerced into degrading or humiliating sexual acts (3.3%)
threatened (7.5%)	threatened with a weapon (4.4%)
	kicked, dragged, or beaten (4.1%)
	choked or burned (2.6%)

However, in Thailand, IPV is considered as an internal family matter that outsiders should not intervene; when violence occurs within families, it is often kept private and unreported. Therefore, it is important to note that these available statistics may not reflect the full extent of the issue, and the actual IPV rate could be higher (Chuemchit et al., 2018).

In addition, compared to thos in monogamous relationships, Thai women in polygynous relationships were found to be more prone to experiencing IPV (Sonthon et al., 2024).

Causes

Power Dynamic and Gender Inequality

Thai society is structured around a patriarchal system, where men hold more power and authority, while women are often placed in subordinate positions. The unequal power dynamic significantly contributes to the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) as men may perceive themselves as entitled to assert control over their partners—sometimes through violent means. This dynamic limits the autonomy and authority of women within the family, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation and abuse (Thananowan et al., 2018; Sripichyakan, 1999).

Sociocultural Norm

As in many other societies, the ideal of a mother-father household is highly valued in Thai culture; divorce is often avoided due to this social norm. Women are expected to endure hardship, accept violence, and remain silent in order to maintain family unity. Revealing negative family issues, such as abuse, or seeking help is viewed as shameful for both the woman and her family (Laeheem & Boonprakarn, 2014). As a result, failure to meet the societal expectations of being a good wife, mother, or person often makes women feel guilty and blame themselves for that (Rujiraprasert et al., 2009); that is the reason why they may reluctantly tolerate the violence and stay in the abusive relationship (Thananowan et al., 2018).

Economic Stress and Financial Dependence

In addition to the responsibilities of having to raise children, relying financially on abusive partners is a major obstacle for women who experience violence in their intimate relationships. According to a study done by Xu, Kerley, & Sirisunyaluck (2010), many Thai women, especially those who live in rural areas, rely heavily on their husbands for financial support. This lack of financial independence, coupled with the demands of child-rearing, significantly restricts their ability to escape and makes leaving the abusive relationship seem impossible, despite any willingness to do so.

Weak Legal and Policy Frameworks

In 2003, the Thai amended law section 276 used to state that “any person who commits sexual intercourse with a woman who is not his wife, and against the latter’s will, by threatening her, or doing any act of violence…, shall be punished with imprisonment…” In 2007, the phrase “with a woman who is not his wife” was removed and changed into the word “others”. While this modification is expected to steadily reduce the IPV rate in the society, its influence over the past decade has been modest (Chuemchit et al., 2018). The reason for that could be due to frustration with the legal system, social workers, and the way the police handle reported cases (Phollawan, 2017).

Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol consumption plays a significant role in predicting IPV (Sonthon et al., 2024). It weakens inhibitions and raises the chances of abusive behaviour (Wichaidit & Assanangkornchai, 2020).

The vast majority of drinkers in Thailand are men (Wichaidit et al., 2019); IPV is commonly reported (above 90%) by the wives of those with alcohol dependence (Ngamchad & Swaengcharoen, 2017). 

The prevalence of IPV was also noted to be higher in households with a binge drinker compared to those without such drinking behaviour, with the prevalence being 2.9% among women whose husbands did not drink, and 46.2% among those whose husbands engaged in binge drinking (Wichaidit & Assanangkornchai, 2020).

Effects

Physical Effects

Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are at a higher risk of femicide and substance use, such as alcohol or drugs (Pengpid et al., 2018). In addition, the risk of femicide were found to be correlated with suicidal behaviours (Peltzer & Pengpid, 2017).

Psychological Effects

A significant number of women experiencing IPV reported psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The lifetime prevalence of these psychiatric disorders among 3,009 female participants in Panyayong et al.'s (2018) study was found to be 28.9%. Additionally, 12.2% of the participants reported suicidal behaviors (Panyayong et al., 2018).

In a separate study by Peltzer and Pengpid (2017), adult women who were systematically selected and screened for IPV at antenatal care and general outpatient clinics in nine randomly chosen hospitals across two provinces in central Thailand were assessed. The study found that 49.3% of the participants exhibited symptoms of depression, and 17.6% had experienced suicidal thoughts or attempts within the past year.

Regarding the relationship between different types of IPV, sexual and physical IPV were found to be strongly linked to depression, while psychological IPV was associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviours (Peltzer & Pengpid, 2017).

Coping Strategies

In terms of strategies that victims use to cope with their daily lives within the context of intimate partner violence (IPV), Thananowan et al. (2018) conducted in-depth interviews with 40 Thai women. The findings suggested six major themes, which are summarised below:

1) living with negative emotions

All victims of IPV expressed feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, despair, misery, profound loss of personal identity, and a complete sense of powerlessness in their lives. In an attempt to cope, some victims turned to self-blame, substance abuse, or defensive actions.

2) keeping silent

Due to the cultural belief that intimate partner violence (IPV) is a private family matter, most victims chose to remain silent and keep their experiences of abuse to themselves. Worries about the impact on their children and fears of the negative outcomes of revealing the abuse also played a significant role. Furthermore, many victims mentioned not wanting to burden other family members, which led them to handle the situation alone.

While some victims chose to remain silent on their own, others felt forced not to speak out or seek help according to societal factors such as gender inequality and social pressure that isolate them from family, friends, and support networks, including police and healthcare providers.

3) seeking support

As IVP intensified, many victims came to the realisation that they could no longer cope with the situation alone; as a result, they started seeking support from various sources, including family, the police, healthcare providers, shelters, and their religious beliefs. Healthcare professionals were often viewed as a last resource since IPV was not considered by Thais as a health-related issue. For women’s shelters, they were frequently at capacity, making them inaccessible when needed.

In terms of psychological support, religion is reported to be the most significant source of emotional solace; on the other hand, police are found not to be very supportive as they only ask questions and create official reports for evidential purposes but do not address any other aspects of the violence.

4) disconnect between the fantasy of love and reality

Some IPV victims had the belief that "true love would solve everything." This mindset led them to form an emotional attachment to their partners, making it more difficult for them to leave or speak out about the abusive relationship, due to feelings of guilt or a deep desire to protect their partners. To cope, they tried to distinguish between their hopes for marriage and the harshness of their lived experience, though this process can be emotionally exhausting.

5) ambivalence surrounding leaving

To divorce, fleeing their home, returning to live with their original families, or cutting off contact with their husbands tend to be options that are considered by victims with children. In this case, they prioritise their child’s safety.

6) despair and suicide

When their sense of hopelessness deepened to the point where they felt they could no longer cope with their daily struggles, some IPV victims had thoughts of suicide, with a few even making plans or attempting to take their own lives. There were also those who considered ending their lives along with their children, fearing they could not leave them alone with their negligent husbands. However, all the victims interviewed in Thananowan et al.’s (2018) study ultimately abandoned these plans, driven by their love and concern for their children.

Supports Available

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent in Thailand, resources for victims are limited. Apart from the criminal law mentioned earlier, another example is the One-Stop Crisis Centres (OSCC), an organisation that offers 24-hour support services for women experiencing IPV. While some hospitals and health clinics provide related services, they often lack trained professionals and fail to offer essential resources such as emergency shelters or IPV screening during health assessments (Thananowan et al., 2018).