To determine the incidence of traumatic events in Ecuadorian women exposed to domestic violence and other complex social situations and their relationship with PTSD.

We applied a transversal descriptive study accomplished by the INEC (National Institute of Statistics and Census). The INEC recruited Ecuadorian women from 15 years old and more, the surveys were focused on this population. In total, 18,800 rural and urban housings were selected all over the country, 24 provinces. Date of the survey: November 16–December 15 of 2011. A, D and G were taken as references for guidelines following the criteria diagnosis of DSM V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to determine a Traumatic Event.

The average age of the sample was 28 years old. The standard deviation was 21, ages: 15–25 years old: 14.265 (21.6%), 25–35 years old: 9.324 (14.1%), 35–45 years old: 8.132 (12.3%), 45–55 years old: 6.283 (9.5%), 55–65 years old: 4.302 (6.5%), > 65 years old: 23.745 (35.9%). Prevalence of the traumatic event (DSM-V) 4.6%. Women experienced any kind of violence 60.6%: 61.4% urban, 58.% rural. Types of abuse: psychological: 53.9%, physical: 38.0; sexual, patrimonial: 35.3%. Domestic violence 76.0% y other types of violence 24.0%.

Domestic violence rate is high, also, in this study, we determined that women face an important index of violence during their daily activities. Psychological abuse is the highest abuse, higher in the urban areas. These results based on acute traumatic events may predispose women to develop PTSD. The prevalence of traumatic events must be an alert to the Mental Health Organizations, not only in Ecuador but also in Latin American.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.