The role of selected social and psychological factors in violence against Myanmar migrant women in Thailand.

Abstract

Introduction: Violence against women (VAW) is a serious human rights violation with significant implications for public health. VAW affects the well-being of women, children, and families. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the structural relationship of a set of variables—attitude towards violence (ATT), self-esteem (SE), relationship with residential unit members (RES), social support (SS), and coping strategies (COP)- influencing VAW and to test the model using the empirical data. Methods: The measurement was deployed to assess violence experienced by 295 Myanmar migrant women residing in Thailand. Data collection involved the use of a self-administered questionnaire consisting of six scales. These scales exhibit Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.74 to 0.90. The construct validity was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis. The structural equation modeling method was employed to test the validity of the model using Mplus Software. Results: The model provided fitted well with the empirical data (χ2/df =1.74, CFI = 0.93; TLI = 0.91; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.06). The VAW accounted for 33 percent of the variance through its set of variables. Among these, ATT, RES, and COP directly impacted VAW, while SS and SE had indirect effects. ATT exhibited the most significant overall influence on VAW, with RES and COP serving as mediators among other antecedents studied in relation to VAW. Conclusion: The current findings suggest that violence against Myanmar migrant women residing in Thailand is associated with many factors. Understanding these factors can provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to develop and implement awareness and community-based intervention programs. These findings underscore the importance of targeted strategies to address this issue effectively.