Attitudes towards justifying intimate partner violence among married women in Bangladesh

Women's Social Mobility and Attitudinal Acceptance of Wife Abuse: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Bengali, Santal, and Garo Ethnic Communities in Rural Bangladesh

Previous studies exploring the influential factors associated with attitudinal acceptance of wife abuse (AAWA) did not widely focus on the relation between women's social mobility (WSM) and different dimensions of AAWA in rural Bangladesh. This current study examined the association between WSM and different dimensions of AAWA in the context of socio-cultural differences among the Bengali, the Santal, and the Garo ethnic communities in rural Bangladesh. Adopting a cross-sectional design, 1,929 married men and women were randomly included in the study from 8 Bengali, 8 Santal, and 8 Garo villages where 50.2% were women and 49.8% were men. Of the sample, 33.2% Garo, 33.2% Santal, and 33.6% Bengali participants were included in this study. Data revealed that 45.5% of women had low social mobility and the prevalence of different dimensions of AAWA was high and varied among the study communities. We used descriptive statistics, chi-square, and binary logistic regression analysis to estimate the association. The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis results revealed that the likelihood of attitudinal acceptance of overall abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse, abuse on disobeying family obligation, and abuse on challenging male authority were significantly lower for the respondents who belonged to families where women enjoyed high mobility compared to those who belonged to families where WSM was low. This study also showed that the Bengali and the Santal participants were more likely to accept different dimensions of AAWA compared to the Garos. This study suggests that WSM should be considered in policy-making and implementing interventions to reduce the different dimensions of AAWA in rural Bangladesh.

Assessing the pattern of key factors on women's empowerment in Bangladesh: Evidence from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2007 to 2017-18

BACKGROUND

With half a female population, empowering women can be a key factor in our country's global advancement. Focusing on household decision-making and attitudes toward wife beating, our study addresses the dearth of research exploring how different socio-economic and demographic factors associated with women's empowerment evolve over the past decade in Bangladesh (from BDHS 2007 to BDHS 2017-18).

METHODS

Data from four waves of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS, 2007 to BDHS, 2017-18) were used in this study. We put forth two domains-household decision-making and attitudes toward domestic violence-to assess women's empowerment. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to create women's empowerment index. To assess the unadjusted association between the selected covariates and women's empowerment, Pearson Chi-square test and ANOVA F test have been used, while adjusted association has been analyzed through proportional odds model (POM).

RESULTS

In BDHS 2017-18, women from urban areas experienced 'high' empowerment than women in rural areas (56.08% vs. 45.69%). A notable change has been observed in the distribution of women's empowerment index by education over the survey years. Findings also showed that in all the survey years, division, place of residence, education level, number of living children, media exposure, wealth index, working status, and relationship with household head have been found to have significant association with women's empowerment index. For instance, women who completed secondary education in 2007, 2011, 2014, and 2017-18, respectively have 14.4%, 31.8%, 24.6%, and 39.6% higher odds of having empowerment compared to those who were uneducated. Further, age at first marriage, spousal age gap, NGO membership etc. emerged as a contributing factor in specific survey years.

CONCLUSION

Our study affirmed that, over a ten-year period, women were more likely to protest against physical violence and to participate in various decision-making regarding their personal and social life. Empowerment is notably higher among women in urban residents, those with secondary education, 1-2 children, media exposure, and employment. Policy recommendations should emphasize targeted measures to raise awareness and empower uneducated, unemployed, economically disadvantaged, and physically oppressed women.

Factors associated with married women's attitude toward intimate partner violence: A study on 20 low-and middle-income countries

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a global problem and has been reported to be significantly higher for women in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The researchers analyzed Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data of married women in 20 LMICs to examine those most vulnerable to accepting IPV by investigating associated risk factors. The researchers revealed a higher level of acceptance of IPV among illiterate women from poorer households in remote areas. Using these findings, the authors provide insight into ensuring and enhancing the living standards of these vulnerable women by making education more readily accessible.

Women's Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries of Southern Asia

PURPOSE

The present study identified the vulnerable IPV cohorts of South Asian women, and the prevalence of and predictors of the women's IPV acceptance.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey - the United Nations Children's Fund multiple index cluster survey.

SETTING

Many South Asian women are accepting of IPV. Studies mostly focus on individual countries.

SUBJECT

103 139 ever-married women from Bangladesh, Laos and Nepal.

MEASURES

Women's attitudes toward IPV were measured using a set of five, fixed, binary responses.

ANALYSIS

Following bivariate analysis, complex survey weight adjusted logistic regression models were fitted for individual country data, and the pooled sample.

RESULTS

Of the sampled South Asian women 27.8% accepted IPV, and no major variation among countries in IPV acceptance. Education was the most reliable protector against IPV acceptance whereby, higher educational attainment systematically reduced IPV acceptance (OR = .61 [.56-.83]). Other significant protective factors were being un-married (Married OR = 1.34 [1.28-1.42]), having increased wealth (OR = .71 [.56-.83]), and being over 24 years old (OR = .88 [.83-.97]).

CONCLUSION

Only education produced absolute consistency at the country and region level; there seems to be no blanket solution for regionally reducing women's IPV acceptance rates in Southern Asia. Focus on the least educated women and making education more accessible should be prioritised. Future IPV studies can consider measurement methods for women's direct exposure to patriarchal standards and within community interaction.

Factors Associated With Domestic Violence Against Women at Different Stages of Life: Findings From a 19-Year Longitudinal Dataset From the MINIMat Trial in Rural Bangladesh (2001-2020)

Despite the abundance of literature, longitudinal studies evaluating the factors associated with domestic violence (DV) at different stages and over longer periods of women's lives are rare. We evaluated factors associated with physical and sexual DV during pregnancy, at 10-year, and 18-year follow-ups after pregnancy and within a 19-year period of life using a cohort of women (n = 1,126) who participated in the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions, Matlab trial in rural Bangladesh. Data on women's experience of DV, social and economic characteristics, empowerment, and family condition were recorded in a similar manner during pregnancy and at 10- and 18-year follow-ups, using standard questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression models and generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate factors associated with women's experience of physical and sexual violence at each discrete time point and over a period of 19 years, respectively. During pregnancy, women were more likely to experience violence if they were members of microcredit programs/non-governmental organizations (NGOs), living in an extended family and had lower wealth status. At the 10- and 18-year follow-ups, higher levels of decision-making and higher wealth status were protective against the experience of violence. At the 18-year follow-up, women with larger age differences from their husbands were less likely to experience violence, while membership in microcredit programs/NGOs was associated with higher odds of experiencing violence among women. Within a period of 19 years, a higher level of education, living in an extended family, higher decision-making level and higher wealth index were protective against the experience of violence, while membership in microcredit programs/NGOs was a risk factor. In conclusion, this study showed that correlates of violence might change at different time points in women's life. Thus, policies and programs should consider the stage of women's lives while planning interventions for addressing violence against women.

Does domestic violence legislation reduce permissive attitudes about intimate partner violence? Longitudinal evidence from men and women from 61 countries

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is highly prevalent and has substantial implications for women's health. Changing IPV attitudes is one pathway to reduce IPV. While evidence suggests that interventions targeting individuals may change IPV attitudes, the effect of wider-scale interventions, such as legislation, remain unknown.

Methods

We used individual-level IPV attitudes information collected between 1997 and 2020 by the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), which we linked with national-level domestic violence (DV) legislation information. We evaluated the effect of adoption of DV legislation on changes in IPV attitudes using a difference-in-differences study design that controlled for time-varying country-level confounding and accounted for staggered timing of legislation adoption.

Findings

Our sample included 2,184,047 women from 60 countries and 390,877 men from 40 countries. After controlling for country-level confounders, adoption of DV legislation reduced IPV acceptability among women (average treatment effect among treated (ATT) = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.16, 0.06) and men (ATT = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.22, 0.03) although estimates were imprecise and included the null.

Interpretation

DV legislation may reduce permissive IPV attitudes, especially among men, although conclusions should be interpreted cautiously due to imprecise estimates.

Funding

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (5R00HD104896).

Judgments and Attributions of Intimate Partner Violence in China: The Role of Directionality, Gender Stereotypicality, and Ambivalent Sexism

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem worldwide. IPV-related perceptions and attitudes are linked to IPV's actual perpetration and related victimization. There is a typical gender paradigm in IPV, wherein women are victims and men are perpetrators, which influences judgments toward IPV. Some socio-cultural norms or unjust notions of gender are also intertwined with this paradigm and influence perceptions of IPV. This study explored judgments and attributions of IPV in the Chinese context while extensively considering directionality, gender stereotypes, and ambivalent sexism by surveying 887 participants online. Participants read 1 of 12 scenarios and made judgments and attributions of responsibility regarding IPV. The results indicate that hostile sexism is negatively correlated with IPV perception but positively correlated with its justification. The direction of perpetration and gender stereotypicality had some main effects on judgments of IPV, and there were some interactions between these factors. The perception level of IPV involving a traditional male partner was higher when the man was the perpetrator or when his female partner was traditional. In the unidirectional IPV scenarios, the perpetrators were judged as significantly more responsible than the victims, while in the bidirectional IPV scenarios, men were judged as significantly more responsible than women. Moreover, the relationship between gender stereotypicality and responsibility attributions to female partners was significantly moderated by benevolent sexism (BS). Participants with a high level of BS tended to attribute less responsibility to traditional women than non-traditional women in bidirectional IPV scenarios. Future studies on IPV should pay attention to the influence of directionality and gender stereotypes. More efforts ought to be made to reduce IPV and overcome gender role stereotypes and sexism.

Exposure to interparental violence and justification of intimate partner violence among women in Papua New Guinea

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to interparental violence is associated with intimate partner violence justification in a variety of contexts. In this study, we examined the association between exposure to interparental violence and justification of intimate partner violence among women in Papua New Guinea.

METHODS

We used data from the 2016-18 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey. We included 2839 women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in a sexual union (married and cohabiting) in the study. We used a multivariable binary multilevel regression analysis to examine the association between interparental violence and justification of intimate partner violence. We presented the results of the regression analysis using crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aORs), with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Women exposed to interparental violence were 1.26 (95%CI = 1.05, 1.53) times more likely to justify intimate partner violence than those who were not exposed. Women who resided in the Highlands (aOR = 2.50, 95%CI = 1.78, 3.51), Momase (aOR = 1.96, 95%CI = 1.40, 2.75), and Islands (aOR = 1.42, 95%CI = 1.01, 1.99) were more likely to justify intimate partner violence compared to those in the Southern region. Women who were exposed to one (aOR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.06, 1.82) mass media were more likely to justify intimate partner violence compared to those who had no exposure to mass media. On the other hand, women aged 25-34 years (aOR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.48, 0.91) and 35-49 years (aOR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.44, 0.97) were less likely to justify intimate partner violence compared to those aged 15-24 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study has shown that exposure to interparental violence is a predictor of intimate partner violence justification. This study suggests the need for conscious and continuous efforts to identify and assist women who have been exposed to interparental violence to help prevent its transition to later life. Policies and interventions should be developed and implemented to curtail children's exposure to domestic violence in their households. Also, laws and policies need to condemn any violence and demystify community justification and acceptance of intimate partner violence, taking into consideration the significant sociodemographic characteristics of the women highlighted in the study.

Intimate partner violence against women in Southern Punjab, Pakistan: A phenomenological study

BACKGROUND

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) refers to behavior by an intimate partner that can cause physical, sexual, or psychological harm; is a common global public health issue requiring immediate attention. IPV is the most common form of violence in rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan.

METHODS

This qualitative phenomenological study collected 46 in-depth interviews from married women who experienced IPV in the rural areas of South Punjab. A semi-structured interview guide was used for data collection. These women were selected through a snowball sampling technique from October 2018 to March 2019. Researchers accessed the study setting with the help of gatekeepers (Lady Health Workers and Village Heads). The interviews were audio-recorded in the local language (Saraiki) and were translated into English. The data were analyzed using the thematic inductive analysis technique.

RESULTS

The study has presented multifaceted factors of IPV by using the socio-ecological framework in rural areas of South Punjab, Pakistan. The current study introduced culturally contextualized terminologies of "protection," "physical submissiveness," "mental delicacy," and "social security". For married women, culturally embedded terms became the primary cause of IPV. In addition, the study also highlighted some of the cultural terminologies (such as run-mureed, watta-satta, beghairat, izzat, etc.) that are ubiquitous in the local context that sometimes intensifies IPV in the family and community sphere. Furthermore, the study discussed how gender-based inequalities trigger a status quo that ultimately creates power discrimination between spouses, which perpetuates violence in the domestic context.

CONCLUSIONS

Gender-prejudiced roles and expectations imposed by orthodoxy, misinterpretations of Islamic teachings, and dominant patriarchy can be contested through awareness campaigns among the public, and gender sensitization drives among public institutions of police and judiciary. Education and employment-based can lead to women's empowerment and help to challenge the orthodox anti-feminist societal norms and the role of kinship-based networks in the family and community sphere.

Understanding the factors associated with married women's attitudes towards wife-beating in sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence remains a major public health problem, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the factors associated with married women's attitudes towards wife-beating in sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

We used Demographic and Health Survey data of 28 sub-Saharan African countries that had surveys conducted between 2010 and 2019. A sample of 253,782 married women was considered for the analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out, and the results were presented using crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) at 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

The pooled result showed about 71.4% of married women in the 28 countries in this study did not justify wife-beating. However, the prevalence of non-justification of wife-beating varied from 83.4% in Malawi to 17.7% in Mali. Women's age (40-44 years-aOR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.16-2.24), women's educational level (secondary school-aOR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.13-1.91), husband's educational level (higher-aOR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.31-0.95), women's occupation type (professional, technical or managerial-aOR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.06-2.62), wealth index (richest-aOR = 5.52, 95% CI 3.46-8.80) and women's decision-making power (yes-aOR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.19-1.62) were significantly associated with attitude towards wife-beating.

CONCLUSION

Overall, less than three-fourth of married women in the 28 sub-Saharan African countries disagreed with wife-beating but marked differences were observed across socio-economic, decision making and women empowerment factors. Enhancing women's socioeconomic status, decision making power, and creating employment opportunities for women should be considered to increase women's intolerance of wife-beating  practices, especially among countries with low prevalence rates such as Mali.

Married Women's Attitude toward Intimate Partner Violence Is Influenced by Exposure to Media: A Population-Based Spatial Study in Bangladesh

This study estimated the attitudes of women toward accepting IPV at district level in Bangladesh and examined its relationship with sociodemographic predictors including exposure to media (e.g., newspaper, radio and television) using the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey-2019 with a sample of 63,689 women. Around 25.6% women accepted IPV that geographically varied from 1.78% (Pirojpur) to 57.14% (Kurigram). Women regularly exposed to media were 17% less likely to accept IPV. Attitude toward accepting IPV was found to be higher among the illiterate women in disadvantaged circumstances, patriotically from poorer households living in remote areas, which suggest that planned interventions are needed for this vulnerable group of women to improve their living status by providing access to education and media. Further research is necessary to assess the impact of women's empowerment on their attitude toward acceptance of IPV.

Factors associated with women's approval on intimate partner violence in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional analysis of latest demographic and health survey 2017-18

Background

In Bangladesh, intimate partner violence (IPV) is high among women faced by their husband. Regrettably, IPV is often justified by the women themselves, resulting in poor social and health outcomes among them. In this paper, we explored the factors that influence the approval of IPV among the women by their husband in Bangladesh.

Method

The present used the data from the most recent Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017–18. The BDHS 2017–18 followed a two-stage stratified random sampling techniques and the present analysis was carried out among a weighted sample of 20,127 women. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the demographic and socio-economic factors associated with the approval of IPV among the women.

Results

Overall, one in five women (20.5%) approved at least one form of violence by their husband. In adjusted analysis, women who completed secondary education were 57% less likely [AOR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.34–0.54] to approve IPV compared to those who had no formal education. Similarly, women who belonged to Hinduism and other religious group were 42% less likely [AOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.45–0.74] to approve IPV compared to those who practiced Islam. Moreover, women who were exposed to television, participated in the decision on household purchase and moving outside home had 14%, 19%, and 21% less chance for approving IPV by the husband for at least one reason (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study highlighted that many women in Bangladesh approve violence by their husband which could be a major obstacle to the reduction of violence from society. Behavior change intervention should be implemented, particularly targeting the less-educated Muslim women to increase the awareness on IPV in Bangladesh.

Attitudes to and experiences of intimate partner violence among Rohingya women who married before eighteen years of age

Currently, around a million Rohingya refugees live in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This study examines the attitudes toward physical abuse and experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) of Rohingya refugee women who experienced child marriage. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Rohingya refugee settlement at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Attitudes towards physical abuse have been assessed by a set of five questions that asked the situation under which ‘hitting or beating’ one’s wife is justifiable. Multivariable logistic regressions are used to examine the associations of exposure to child marriage with (i) attitudes towards the justification of physical abuse by one’s husband and (ii) experiences of IPV in the 12 months prior to the survey. Data are available for 486 participants. Overall, 61.32% of women experienced child marriage (married before 18 years of age) and they were more likely to have strongly justified beatings/hitting one’s wife under certain circumstances (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.71; 95%CI: 1.78, 4.11), and to have experienced such IPV by their husbands in the 12 months prior to the survey (AOR = 1.72; 95%CI: 1.13, 2.61). These AORs are higher for women married at ages 12–14 than those married at 15–17. Having some formal education among husband and wife is protective of abuse within a marriage. Rohingya women’s attitudes towards and experiences of IPV are associated with their exposure to child marriage. Interventions for stopping child marriage, marriage registration, social support group, and legal interventions are needed. Offering formal education to all children needs to be prioritized.

Does childhood experience of family victimization influence adulthood refusal of wife abuse? Evidence from rural Bangladesh

This study examined how different forms of childhood family victimization are associated with the attitudinal (not actual action) refusal of wife abuse among women and men in rural Bangladesh. It included 1,929 randomly selected married women and men. Of the sample, 31.3% (Men = 49.3%, Women = 13.5%) attitudinally refused overall wife abuse, 38.5% (Men = 53.2%, Women = 23.8%) refused emotional abuse, 67.0% (Men = 82.5%, Women = 51.6%) refused physical abuse, 78.0% (Men = 88.6%, Women = 67.4%) refused abuse on wife’s disobeying family obligations, and 32.3% (Men = 50.3%, Women = 14.6%) refused abuse on challenging male authority. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the odds ratio (ORs) of the attitudinal refusal of overall wife abuse were 1.75 (p = .041) for the childhood non-victims of emotional abuse and 2.31 (p < .001) for the victims of mild emotional abuse, compared to the victims of severe emotional abuse. On the other hand, the ORs of the overall refusal of abuse were 1.84 (p = .031) for the non-victims of physical abuse and 1.29 (p = .465) for the victims of mild physical abuse, compared to the childhood victims of severe physical abuse. Data further revealed that the childhood non-victimization of physical abuse increased all types of attitudinal refusal of wife abuse, e.g., emotional abuse, physical abuse, abuse on disobeying family obligations, and abuse on challenging male authority. Compared to the childhood experiences of severe emotional abuse, data also indicated that childhood exposure to mild emotional abuse might increase the attitudinal refusal of wife abuse on a few issues, e.g., abuse on disobeying family obligations, abuse on challenging male authority, and physical abuse. It appeared that childhood experiences of family victimization greatly influence different types of attitudinal refusal of wife abuse. We argue that the issue of childhood victimization should be brought to the forefront in the discourse. We recommend that state machinery and social welfare agencies should expend significant efforts to stop child abuse within the family and in other areas of society in rural Bangladesh.

Jordanian Men's and Women's Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence and Its Correlates With Family Functioning and Demographics

Jordan is a developing country in the Middle East and, much like other countries in the world, has high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV). Little information is available on Jordanian men's and women's attitudes toward IPV. The purpose of this study is to examine men's and women's attitudes toward IPV in Jordan and its relationship with some demographics and family functioning. A descriptive cross-sectional correlational design with a sample of 401 men and women was used. Descriptive statistics (M, SD), Pearson r, t test, and ANOVA were used. The results indicated that Jordanian men and women have a lower score of IPVAS, 40.06 (SD = 8.20), indicating lower acceptance of IPV compared with the literature. Family functioning was 3.12 (SD = 0.46), indicating more healthy families. Family functioning was negatively correlated with IPVAS scores (r = -.22, p = .00). All demographic variables showed small to moderate correlations with IPVAS. Education for both study participants and their spouses had a negative correlation with IPVAS (r = -.27, p = .00) and (r = -.20, p = .00), respectively. Male participants, individuals who were living with extended family, and those living in rural areas had significantly high IPVAS scores, indicating more accepting attitudes toward IPV. Practitioners should provide families with education on the methods of conflict resolution, effective communication within the family, problem-solving approaches, equal role distribution, and appropriate styles of establishing a family.

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN BANGLADESH: INVESTIGATING THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP

The aim of this study was to assess whether women's empowerment ensures reduced intimate partner violence (IPV). The differential relationship between women's empowerment and IPV among married women in Bangladesh was investigated using 2007 Demographic and Health Survey data. Logistic regression models were used to assess whether women's empowerment had any influence on their likelihood of experiencing IPV while controlling for other covariates. The analyses revealed that older cohorts of women, who were more empowered, were more vulnerable to physical violence than less-empowered, younger women. The likelihood of being affected by physical violence among less-empowered, childless women was greater than that of more-empowered women with only male children. Less-empowered, uneducated women were more likely to experience physical violence than more-empowered, primary-educated women. Less-empowered women who had been married for less than 5 years were more likely to suffer from physical violence than more-empowered women who had been married for more than 19 years. The likelihood of experiencing sexual violence was not found to have any significant association with women's empowerment. The findings suggest that although women's empowerment in Bangladesh is gradually improving, some sub-groups of empowered women are still susceptible to IPV.

Women's opinion on the justification of physical spousal violence: A quantitative approach to model the most vulnerable households in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a culturally conservative nation with limited freedom for women. A number of studies have evaluated intimate partner violence (IPV) and spousal physical violence in Bangladesh; however, the views of women have been rarely discussed in a quantitative manner. Three nationwide surveys in Bangladesh (2007, 2011, and 2014) were analyzed in this study to characterize the most vulnerable households, where women themselves accepted spousal physical violence as a general norm. 31.3%, 31.9% and 28.7% women in the surveys found justification for physical violence in household in 2007, 2011 and 2014 respectively. The binary logistic model showed wealth index, education of both women and their partner, religion, geographical division, decision making freedom and marital age as significant household contributors for women's perspective in all the three years. Women in rich households and the highly educated were found to be 40% and 50% less likely to accept domestic physical violence compared to the poorest and illiterate women. Similarly, women who got married before 18 years were 20% more likely accept physical violence in the family as a norm. Apart from these particular groups (richest, highly educated and married after 18 years), other groups had around 30% acceptance rate of household violence. For any successful attempt to reduce spousal physical violence in the traditional patriarchal society of Bangladesh, interventions must target the most vulnerable households and the geographical areas where women experience spousal violence. Although this paper focuses on women's attitudes, it is important that any intervention scheme should be devised to target both men and women.

Factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among adults in South Korea

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to identify factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among Korean adults.

DESIGN AND SAMPLE

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that analyzed data from 466 adults.

MEASURES

Beliefs about intimate partner violence were measured using a self-report questionnaire with a total of 28 items consisting of four subscales: perpetrator's justification for beating women, blaming women for violence against them, perpetrator's responsibility for violence, and giving help to victims.

RESULTS

Men and women had significantly different beliefs about intimate partner violence (t = -7.19, p < .001). Some characteristics were identified that led to unhealthy beliefs about intimate partner violence. Four variables-gender, age, educational level, and witnessing parental violence-had an explanatory power of 20% with regard to beliefs about IPV (F = 10.50, p = .000).

CONCLUSIONS

In South Korea, men, older individuals, and those with less formal education or who have witnessed parental violence need education to foster healthier beliefs about intimate partner violence. Nurses can play a vital role in efforts to decrease intimate partner violence.

Attitudes towards Intimate Partner Violence against Women among Women and Men in 39 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

BACKGROUND

Violence against women perpetrated by an intimate partner (IPV) is prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LAMIC). The aim was to describe the attitudes of women and men towards perpetration of physical violence to women by an intimate partner, in a large group of low- and middle-income countries.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We used data from Round Four of the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Attitudes towards IPV against women were assessed by a study-specific scale asking if 'wife beating' is justified in any of five circumstances. Overall, data from 39 countries (all had data from women and 13 countries also had data from men) were included in the analyses. The proportions of women who held attitudes that 'wife-beating' was justified in any of the five circumstances varied widely among countries from 2.0% (95% CI 1.7;2.3) in Argentina to 90.2% (95% CI 88.9;91.5) in Afghanistan. Similarly, among men it varied from 5.0% (95% CI 4.0;6.0) in Belarus to 74.5% (95% CI 72.5;76.4) in the Central African Republic. The belief that 'wife-beating' is acceptable was most common in Africa and South Asia, and least common in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean. In general this belief was more common among people in disadvantaged circumstances, including being a member of a family in the lowest household wealth quintile, living in a rural area and having limited formal education. Young adults were more likely to accept physical abuse by a man of his intimate partner than those who were older, but people who had never partnered were less likely to have these attitudes.

CONCLUSIONS

Violence against women is an international priority and requires a multicomponent response. These data provide evidence that strategies should include major public education programs to change attitudes about the acceptability of IPV against women, and that these should be addressed to women and girls as well as to boys and men.

Why Do Women Justify Violence Against Wives More Often Than Do Men in Vietnam?

Intimate partner violence (IPV) harms the health of women and their children. In Vietnam, 31% of women report lifetime exposure to physical IPV, and surprisingly, women justify physical IPV against wives more often than do men. We compare men's and women's rates of finding good reason for wife hitting and assess whether differences in childhood experiences and resources and constraints in adulthood account for observed differences. Probability samples of married men ( n = 522) and women ( n = 533) were surveyed in Vietnam. Ordered logit models assessed the proportional odds for women versus men of finding more "good reasons" to hit a wife (never, 1-3 situations, 4-6 situations). In all situations, women found good reason to hit a wife more often than did men. The unadjusted odds for women versus men of reporting more good reasons to hit a wife were 6.55 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [4.82, 8.91]). This gap disappeared in adjusted models that included significant interactions of gender with age, number of children ever born, and experience of physical IPV as an adult. Having children was associated with justifying wife hitting among women but not men. Exposure to IPV in adulthood was associated with justifying wife hitting among men, but was negatively associated with justification of IPV among women. Further study of the gendered effects of resources and constraints in adulthood on attitudes about IPV against women will clarify women's more frequent reporting than men's that IPV against women is justified.

Beliefs about wife beating among Palestinian women from Israel: The effect of their endorsement of patriarchal ideology

This study examines the influence of patriarchal ideology on women's beliefs about wife beating. A convenience sample of 701 married Palestinian women from Israel was obtained, and a self-report questionnaire was administered. The findings revealed that large percentages of Palestinian women expressed some tendency to justify wife beating in certain instances. In addition, some of the participants expressed some tendency to blame battered women for violence against them, and to believe that they benefit from beating. As hypothesized, endorsing patriarchal ideology was found to influence all three beliefs about wife beating held by Palestinian women in Israel, over and above the amount of variance in the women’s socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. age, education, employment, place of residence, and religion). The limitations of the study as well as the implications of the results for future research are discussed.

Adolescent childbearing and women's attitudes towards wife beating in 25 sub-Saharan African countries

Preventing unwanted adolescent pregnancy is key for keeping girls in school, leading to a more productive and healthier workforce in sub-Saharan Africa. Gender norms are an important indicator of the status of women and more conservative gender norms are associated with experiencing domestic violence, and poorer maternal and reproductive health care. This paper examines the association between adolescent childbearing and norms towards wife beating in sub-Saharan Africa, and the role of education in moderating this association. Data come from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys-nationally representative cross-sectional surveys conducted every 5 years. Country-by-country multivariable logistic regressions were conducted in 25 countries, and country and regional estimates were obtained using meta-analytical techniques. More than half of sub-Saharan African adolescents have a child, with levels ranging from 23% in Rwanda to 69% in Niger. Between 12 and 87% of women believed wife beating is acceptable. In 20 of the 25 countries, women with a birth during adolescence were significantly more likely to believe wife beating is justified [OR = 1.39; 95% confidence interval (CI) 130-1.39]. After multivariate adjustment, the overall finding remains statistically significant [AOR = 1.09; 95% CI 105-1:13]. Education attenuates the observed association. Overall, the effects are strongest and most consistent in West Africa. Results suggest that women who have an adolescent birth more likely to hold more conservative attitudes. Working with adolescents to improve their attitudes on relationship expectations and the importance of furthering their education even after a pregnancy could be integrated into life skills and sexual education curricula.

Acceptance of wife beating and its association with physical violence towards women in Nepal: a cross-sectional study using couple's data

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious global public health issue. Acceptance of wife beating is known to be associated with IPV, but few studies have analysed the acceptance of wife beating from both women and men's points of view. The objective of this study was to examine whether acceptance of wife beating among couples is associated with lifetime and past one-year physical IPV perpetration towards wives in Nepal.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to September 2011, with 717 randomly selected couples with wives aged 18 to 49 years old from the Kirtipur municipality and Bhaktapur district of Nepal. Wives' and husbands' acceptance of wife beating was measured by six scale items, while physical IPV experience among wives was measured by seven physical assault scale items. To assess the association between acceptance of wife beating and physical IPV, multiple logistic regression analysis was used.

RESULTS

Nearly 30% of wives and husbands indicated that beating of wives is acceptable under certain circumstances. Statistically, no significant difference was detected between wives' and husbands' level of acceptance of wife beating. However, husbands' acceptance of wife beating was positively associated with lifetime and past one-year perpetration of physical IPV, whereas wives' acceptance of wife beating was neither associated with lifetime nor past one-year victimization of physical IPV. The positive association for husbands remained even after controlling for their partner's factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Acceptance of wife beating is an important risk factor, which must be considered to prevent perpetration of physical IPV towards wives in Nepal. Future studies should include men to better understand the structure and dynamics of IPV in Nepal, and prevention programs should also target men to change their attitudes or to identify which couples are at more risk of physical IPV occurring toward wives.