Is consanguineous marriage related to spousal violence in India? Evidence from the National Family Health Survey, 2015–16

Violence against women is a global phenomenon, and intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence faced by women in the world. Around 30% of women in the world, on average, and 33% in India experience intimate partner violence during their lifetime. The main aim of this study was to investigate whether consanguinity protects women from spousal violence. National Family Health Survey 2015–16 (NFHS-4) data were used. The study sample comprised 60,824 currently married women aged 15–49 years. The results of the logistic regression model showed that the likelihood of all types of spousal violence against women was higher among consanguineous unions compared with non-consanguineous unions in India. The association between consanguineous marriage and spousal violence was found to be positive and significant in the southern and eastern regions of India and among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The association was not significant among Muslims. Differences in socio-cultural norms and practices across the regions of India, and among different socio-cultural groups, can perhaps explain these variations. Women belonging in higher age groups, from Other Backward Castes, those who were working and those with a low level of educational attainment and socioeconomic standing had a higher risk of experiencing intimate partner violence. Couples in a consanguineous marriage should be given adequate counselling to reduce intimate partner violence in India, and similarly culturally diverse countries. This would also help reach Target 5.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Association of spousal violence and women’s empowerment status among the rural women of sub-Saharan Africa

Spousal violence (SV) is a global problem for women and its elimination is one of the prime targets of Sustainable Development Goal-5. Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of seventeen countries, representing two sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regions (East and Southern Africa [ESA] and West and Central Africa [WCA]), were used to examine the relationship between all types of SV and women’s empowerment status among rural married women aged 15–49 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore adjusted associations, and a relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII) were used to measure the inequality in experiencing SV by rural women based on their overall empowerment position. Within the period 2015–2019, the reported rate of SV was higher in the ESA (physical SV: 33.55%; sexual SV: 16.96%; any type of SV: 46.14%) than the WCA countries (physical SV: 27.80%; sexual SV: 7.63%; any type of SV: 40.83%), except for emotional SV (WCA: 31.28% vs ESA: 29.35%). In terms of overall empowerment status, rural WCA women were slightly ahead of their counterparts in the ESA region (46.09% and 44.64%, respectively). For both ESA and WCA countries, women who didn’t justify violence and who had access to health care (except physical SV in WCA) showed negative but significant association with all types of SV in the adjusted analysis. Conversely, economic empowerment significantly increased the odds of experiencing physical and any type of SV in both regions. The significant risk ratios obtained from RII, for any SV were 0.83 and 1.09, and the β-coefficients from SII were –0.082 and 0.037 units, respectively, in ESA and WCA. Multi-sectoral microfinance-based intervening programmes and policies should be implemented regionally to empower women, especially in the economic, socio-culture, health care accessibility dimensions, and this will eventually reduce all types of spousal violence in rural SSA.

Spousal violence against women and its consequences on pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health of women in India

Background Globally, one in three women experienced domestic violence. Alike the scenario observed in India, and a very few studies talk about violence and its consequences on women's health. Hence, the purpose of this study is to access the level of various types of spousal violence in India and to understand the association between physical, sexual and emotional violence against ever-married women by their husbands. The study further examines the consequences of spousal violence on women's health in terms of adverse pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health in India. Methods The study uses secondary data from National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4, 2015–16). The analysis was based on a sample of ever-married women aged 15–49 years. Bivariate descriptive analysis and multiple regression analyses have been carried out to understand the association between spousal violence and its consequences on women's health. Results The study finds that the physical, sexual and emotional violence experienced by ever-married women in India are 29.8%, 13.8% and 7.0%, respectively. Further, the physical and sexual violence experienced by women have a significant association with an unwanted pregnancy, abortion, miscarriages and ever had termination of pregnancies. The regression analysis shows that violence by sexual partners among battered women increased the likelihood of unwanted pregnancy. Similarly, abortion and ever had a termination of pregnancies are also adversely affected by partner violence. Further, the risk of sexually transmitted infection increases 77% by sexual violence and 44% by emotional violence among battered women. Also, Sexual violence substantially increases the risk of prolonged labour during pregnancy. Conclusion This study revealed that one in three women experiencing violence by their husband and also it is evident that various forms of spousal violence adversely affect pregnancies outcomes and reproductive health among battered women compared to not battered.

Ukukupukula Pampoto: Cultural Construction of Silence Regarding Gender-Based Violence among Pentecostal Married Women in Zambia

Currently Pentecostalism has become endemic especially because of the changing landscape of Christianity in Zambia where most Christians have shifted faith allegiance from the mainline Eurocentric missionary founded churches to newer churches with charismatic leaders. The Pentecostal Church has been encouraging women’s empowerment in public spheres while subtly expecting them to submit totally and often uncritically to their husbands in private spheres. This article seeks to evaluate the ambivalence of women’s silence regarding spousal violence in Pentecostal Church in Zambia and how the silence is secretly encouraged by some older women within the church.

Behind Closed Doors?

This article explores the relationship between men, spousal violence, and politics in Romania in the 1950s and aims to analyze how the Romanian Communist Party (RCP), as an institution, dealt with spousal violence perpetrated by its officials. The RCP was a significant player within state socialist regime. Thus, the way the Party managed the discussed cases of spousal violence gives an idea about how gender relations functioned in reality, beyond the official discourse and the letter of the law. This article argues that spousal violence was the result of inequality within the family and a manifestation of patriarchy and male dominance. This analysis draws on files from the archive of the Committee of Party Control of the Central Committee of the RCP, which contains cases of Party members with a history of spousal violence.

The Impact of COVID-19 Related Lockdown on the Prevalence of Spousal Violence Against Women in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

There is increasing concern about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown’s social and economic consequences on gender-based violence. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender-based violence by comparing the prevalence of spousal violence against women before and during the COVID-19 related lockdown periods. This study was conducted in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq using a self-administered online questionnaire survey after the COVID-19 lockdown period in June 2020. Data were collected from a sample of 346 married women about the occurrence, frequency, and forms of spousal violence before and during the lockdown period. Significant increases in violence were observed from the pre-lockdown period to the lockdown period for any violence (32.1% to 38.7%, p = .001), emotional abuse (29.5% to 35.0%, p = .005), and physical violence (12.7% to 17.6%, p = .002). Regarding emotional abuse, humiliation (24.6% to 28.3%, p = .041) and scaring or intimidation (14.2% to 21.4%, p < .001) significantly increased during the lockdown. For physical violence, twisting the arm or pulling hair (9.0% to 13.0%, p = .004) and hitting (5.2% to 9.2%, p = .003) significantly increased during the lockdown. Forcing to have sexual intercourse also significantly increased during lockdown (6.6% to 9.5%., p = .021). The concerned authorities and women’s rights organizations should collaborate to enhance the prevention of violence against women. An effective prevention strategy should emphasize recognizing and acknowledging the extent of the problem, raising awareness about the problem and the available resources to address it, and ensuring social and economic stability. Lessons learned about the increased prevalence of spousal violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to adopt appropriate strategies to prevent and address it will be valuable for similar future crises.

Prevalence and predictors of spousal violence against women in Afghanistan: evidence from Demographic and Health Survey data

Spousal violence against women is a serious public health problem that is prevalent in all societies, with one in three women around the world experiencing violence in their lifetime. This study examined the prevalence of spousal violence, and its determinants, in Afghanistan using data from the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey. Univariate, bivariate and logistic regression statistical techniques were used to assess the association of socioeconomic variables with spousal violence. The study sample comprised 20,827 currently married women aged 15–49. Fifty-two per cent of women reported experiencing some form of violence by their husband. A significant association was found between women’s justification of violence, women’s participation in decision-making in their household (COR=0.476; CI=0.446–0.509) and lower risk of experiencing spousal violence. After adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic factors, women’s participation in all of four household decisions, either alone or jointly, was found to be associated with a lower risk of experiencing spousal violence (AOR=0.472; CI=0.431–0.516). In both the crude and adjusted models, the risk of experiencing spousal violence was high if the husband’s desire for children was different from that of his wife. In the case of inequality in property ownership, the risk of spousal violence was significantly higher (COR=1.263; CI=1.178–1.353; AOR=1.159; CI=1.051–1.278) when women were joint owners of property compared with when they did not own any property. The findings point to an immediate need for legal and social interventions to prevent spousal violence against women, or at least reduce its prevalence, in Afghanistan.

Associations of Power Relations, Wife-Beating Attitudes, and Controlling Behavior of Husband With Domestic Violence Against Women in India: Insights From the National Family Health Survey–4

This study assesses the relationship of power relations, attitudes toward wife-beating, and controlling behavior of husband with violence against women in India using the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4). In India, about 31% of ever-married women experienced domestic violence committed by their partner during 2015-16. Women’s decision-making power was associated with a decreased likelihood of spousal violence. However, the justification of wife-beating and controlling behavior of husband increased the risk of intimate partner violence. This study emphasizes the need for prioritizing girls’ education, enhancing women’s autonomy, prevention of child marriage, and promoting gender equality in society to address the problem of spousal violence.