National Research on Domestic Violence Against Women in

the nationwide data providing information about thedomestic violence for 2008 was limited in quantity andquality. There was only two reliable dataset providinglimited information on the issue of domestic violence –RH Survey and MICS3 in 2005. 5 These data clearly showthat combating domestic violence is a complex endeavourthat must not be approached only by seeking toeliminate external causes - instead it requires a morein-depth approach that includes raising women’s awarenessabout human rights and violence.Lack of data on prevalence, causes, effects and con -sequences of domestic violence seriously un de r minesefforts to elaborate country-sensitive policies for combatingviolence against women. The presented surveywas conducted in 2009 within the frames of the UnitedNations population Fund (UNFPA) implementedproject “Combating Gender Based Violence in SouthCaucasus”(GBV-SC). GBV-SC project is a regional, multiprongedinitiative supported by the Norwegian governmentand implemented in the three South CaucasusCountries – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia by UNFPACountry Offices. Main objective of the project is to contributeto the national response to domestic violenceand strengthen the democratic governance in the threecountries by promoting the respect for human rights,gender equality and women’s participation.GBV-SC is the first region-wide project to hold a multiprongedapproach to combat gender-based violencethrough:- Informing, communicating and educating the publicon gender rights and issues;- Engendering laws, policies and plans;- Supporting establishment of service mechanismsto prevent, protect and respond to gender-basedviolence acts;- Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of effortsaiming at addressing gender-based violenceWith the support of UNFPA/Georgia the research wasconducted by two non-governmental organizations:ACT-<strong>Research</strong> 6 and the Centre for Social Sciences (CSS) 7at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia. 85. The data were collected about women’s perception and beliefsregarding when a husband is justified in beating women/his wifeunder the following conditions: when she goes out without askinghim 1.8%; when she neglects the children 5.9%; when she argueswith him 2.4%; when she refuses to have sex with him 1.3%; whenshe burns food 1.0%; for any of those reasons 6.9%. Multiple indicatorcluster surveys, MICS3, Monitoring the Situation of Childrenand Women, Reports. Georgia 2005. http://www.childinfo.org/mics3_surveys.html6. http://www.act.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG7. http://www.ucss.ge8. http://www.tsu.geThe qualitative research was enriched by the data collectionin Samtskhe-Javakheti region within the framesof UNIFEM-administered UN Trust Fund to End ViolenceAgainst Women funded Project “Interdepartmental andPublic Measures for Elimination of Family Violence inGeorgia”.The <strong>National</strong> Survey on Domestic Violence against Womencomprised of quantitative and qualitative research,aimed at generating the first nation-wide data on thecauses and consequences of gender-based violence(particularly domestic violence) to be used as a baselinefor the formulation of appropriate national policies andstrategies to combat gender-based violence. 9The Nationwide Survey on Domestic Violence AgainstWomen in Georgia is the first comprehensive study intomany aspects of domestic violence:• The study is first comprehensive survey carried outon the subject of domestic violence against womenin the country and it has the biggest sample, whichprovides information on urban and rural settlementsall over Georgia;• The questionnaire used in the quantitative surveyallows for cross-cultural comparison, as it was developedfrom a WHO questionnaire with minor additionsproceeding from the country's unique characteristics;• The survey combines quantitative and qualitativeapproach in exploring the causes and consequencesof domestic violence, as well as perceptions andattitudes of women on domestic violence;• This is the first survey collecting data on physicaland sexual violence for under-aged group of women,as well as sexual abuse by perpetrators otherthan husbands and family members.The target group of the quantitative research of this nationwidesurvey were women in age group 15-49. Interviewswith 2,391 women were completed. The implementationof the Qualitative research on DV took placein parallel with the Quantitative research. Qualitative<strong>Research</strong> methodology as well as sample design was revisedand approved with the International Consultant.25 in-depth interviews have been conducted; 10 focusgroup meetings were conducted in Urban and RuralSettings and 2 participant observations have been completed.This mixed methodology study gives detailedinformation on the prevalence of domestic violenceexperienced by women, forms of violence, causes and9. http://www.unfpa.org.tr/gender.htm14