[Domestic violence and sexuality]

Women's reproductive health is closely related to the conditions in which intercourse is carried out with the sexual partner. Physical and emotional abuse is expressed as loss of bonds, reduction in self esteem and deterioration in interpersonal relationships.

To assess the effects of domestic violence on pregnant women attitudes towards sexual relations with their partners, and to critically analyze the dependence of these variables on biosociodemographic factors, socioeconomic status and family functioning.

Sixty three pregnant women with a domestic violence background (index group) and 43 women without such background (control group) were subjected to a structured survey including questions about biosociodemographic variables, socioeconomic status, family relations, couple interactions and questions about attitudes towards sexual relations.

Domestic violence was caused by the woman's partner or ex partner in 73% of cases. A greater family dysfunction and disturbance in the couple's relation was observed in the index group (p < 0.05). Association tests and multiple correspondence analysis did not show a clear correspondence between variables related to a woman's attitude towards sex relations and the risk of domestic violence.

This quantitative methodology was unable to identify the reasons, interpretations and meanings that women with a background of violence, give to features associated with their sexuality.