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Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Thailand

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).

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.

Alcohol and Substance

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” (Chuemchit et al., 2018).

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). For the possible causes of this, Phollawan (2017) suggested that it could be due to frustration with the legal system, social workers, and the way the police handle reported cases.

Coping Strategies

In terms of IPV coping strategies, these vary among victims. Thananowan et al. (2018) conducted in-depth interviews with 40 Thai women to explore how they navigated life within the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). Findings are summarised as four main categories below:

1) 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.

2) disconnect between the fantasy of love and reality

Some IPV victims had the belief that "true love would solve everything." This mindset leads 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 may try to distinguish between their hopes for marriage and the harshness of their lived experience, though this process can be emotionally exhausting.

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) 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.

Supports

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent in Thailand, resources for victims are limited. One 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).