Nairobi — Women in Western and Nyanza provinces are at a greater risk of domestic violence than their counterparts in other areas, a Government report says.

It adds that women in rural areas are more likely to become victims than their urban counterparts.

A woman's level of education, the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2003 preliminary report says, reduces the incidence of violence in a marriage.

The survey says: "Forty-four per cent of women - married, divorced or separated - aged 15-49 report that they have been physically or sexually violated by their husbands or partners, while 29 per cent said they were victims of such violence in the year preceding the survey."

Acts of physical harm include pushing, slapping, punching, kicking, attempting to strangle, burning or threats to use weapons against women.

The report confirms that domestic violence is the biggest cause of separation and divorce. Fifty seven per cent of separated or divorced women reported cases of violence, while it stood at 42 per cent among married ones.

Western tops the list of physical violence with 67 per cent, while Nyanza has 56 per cent.

But Nyanza pips Western in the incidence of sexual violence, posting 24.6 per cent, compared to 22.4 per cent for Western.

However, the statistics indicate a gradual decline in the occurrence of domestic violence in the two provinces, whose traditions condone wife beating.

Last year, cases of wife beating in Nyanza stood at 43 per cent, while Western had 40 per cent.

Forty three per cent of women in Rift Valley admitted being victims, as did 40.2 per cent of their counterparts in Central.

The report shows that 36 per cent of women in Eastern are victims, 32.1 per cent in Nairobi and 28.8 per cent in North Eastern.

But North Eastern, because of Islam, has the least incidence of sexual violence - 0.5 per cent.

Coast women are the least likely to be victims of physical or sexual violence.

It posts 23 per cent cases of physical violence and 7.3 per cent in sexual.

The survey indicates that, whereas 36.3 per cent of urban women are likely victims of wife beating, in the rural areas it stands at 45.5 per cent.

Thirty-six per cent of them are likely victims while 52 per cent of women who did not complete primary school education are victims.

The results of the survey reveal that older women easily report having been beaten or sexually assaulted than younger women.