Abstract

Introduction: The link between alcohol and violence is well documented, but there is a paucity of research on alcohol use by husbands and sexual violence during pregnancy in Nepal. The aim of the study is to describe the relationship between alcohol use by the husband and sexual violence during pregnancy in Nepalese women from the Kathmandu valley.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a consecutive sampling design in one government hospital. Pregnant women (N = 495) attending the antenatal clinic of Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital (PMWH) were recruited.

Results: Approximately one fifth (19%) of pregnant women had experienced sexual violence. Women in the third trimester of pregnancy were more likely to suffer sexual violence (23.6%) than in the first (10.9%) and second trimester of pregnancy (22.4%). The most common type of sexual violence against women was physical force for sexual intercourse (91.5%), followed by sexual intercourse without the women's consent (26.6%) and forcing them to engage in humiliating sexual activities (10.6%).Women who belong to other ethnicities like Janajatis, Dalits, and religious minorities (AOR = 3.27), women who live outside Kathmandu (AOR = 3.18), women who are illiterate (AOR = 4.29), and women whose husband has alcohol-drinking behavior (AOR = 1.78) increased the odds of experiencing sexual violence during pregnancy.

Conclusion: The study concludes that a husband’s drinking behavior is an important risk factor for sexual violence against pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic. It indicates a need for routine screening during the antenatal visit to identify the violence and alcohol use of both the husband and wife.