Spousal Abuse Reported by 25% of Thailand's Women in Survey by Phairath Khampha 14 November 2001 A quarter of women surveyed for a study on violence against women in Thailand said they were physically or mentally abused by their partners. This is despite the fact that most women said they would never to being abused by their spouse because of negative social or familial consequences. Krittaya Atchavanijakul, of Mahidol University's Institute for Population and Social Research, said the study was conducted in 2001 in Bangkok and Nakhon Sawan and covered 2,818 women aged 15-49. Of the 28% respondents who said they were physically abused by their partners, 29% said they were sexually assaulted and 9% were raped. About 22% were mentally abused, 14% were physically and sexually abused and 7% were said they were under 15 at the time. Ms Krittaya said the study found women in Thailand of all educational and wage levels were abused by their partners, but upper-class women were more likely to keep it to themselves and in the study would not report it because of the damage they feared would be caused to the social status of their family. She said most of the abusive men were heavy drinkers and prone to jealously or promiscuity; a common trait among Thai men. A third of the women attempted to kill themselves, the researcher said, and 40% said they felt suicidal. An unusual number of women chronically seek assistance from local offices of mental health, mainly because of problems arising from unforgiving situations in the family. Ms Krittaya said help was needed from society to end violence against women. Meanwhile, 58 public and private women's groups held a 'white ribbon' campaign in November to encourage men to stop the abuse. Politicians and MPs with a clean record in this area would help with the campaign, said Wanchai Rujanawong, head of the Criminal Law Institute, even though the number of such 'leaders' who were clean was pitifully low. Women's organisations were also pushing for changes to the law.