Attitudes Toward Wife Beating Among Palestinian Women of Reproductive Age From Three Cities in West Bank

A total of 450 women were interviewed in Mother and Child Health Care Centers in three cities in West Bank, Palestine, to assess attitudes toward wife beating. Overall, women perceived wife beating to be justified if a wife insults her husband (59%), if she disobeys her husband (49%), if she neglects her children (37%), if she goes out without telling her husband (25%), if she argues with her husband (11%), and if she burns the food (5%). Sixty-five percent of women agreed with at least one reason for wife beating, but there were statistically significant regional differences: Wife beating was most accepted in Jenin (73% acceptance of at least one reason) and least accepted in Hebron (55%). Lower level of education, not being employed, having more than one child, being married for fewer than 10 years, and making few household decisions were all associated with women’s acceptance of wife beating. The implications of these results are discussed.