By Khristopher Carlson and Dyan Mazurana. Humanitarian Practice Network, November/December, 2006.
As part of their research in Kitgum in 2006, described in the preceding article, the Tufts team also sought to gain a better understanding of the physical threats facing women and girls living in or near IDP camps. The study team found that domestic violence against women was widespread in all the camps visited. The most common form of domestic violence is male heads-of-household beating wives or female domestic partners. The most common injuries women sustain from domestic violence include broken or dislocated arms and legs and cuts to the face, neck and upper body. These injuries are inflicted by strikes with bare hands, machetes, firewood, chairs, knives and other sharp objects. Respondents claimed that beatings were frequent in the camps (women were heard being beaten between one and ten times each week). Children were less frequently beaten, and sustained fewer injuries than women. The most serious injuries to children, including death, reportedly occur when they try to protect their mothers from domestic abuse.