A history of childhood maltreatment among spouses predicts violence against women.

Background And Objectives: Violence against women (VAW) is a worldwide problem that adversely affects women physically, psychologically, sexually, and financially. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) the rate of self-reported physical violence from husbands among women who presented to outpatient clinics of a major teaching hospital (2) the variables associated with VAW and (3) the pattern and the consequences of abuse on the victims' health.

Design And Settings: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a 6-month period, commencing in December 2009 at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.