Spousal violence victimization and perpetration among female adolescents and adults in India: results of the 2015-16 national family health survey

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of past 12 month’s spousal violence victimization and spousal violence perpetration among women (15-49 years) in India. In the 2015-16 National Family Health Survey, a sample of ever married women (15-49 years) (N=66013) were interviewed about spousal violence. Results indicate that the past 12-month prevalence of physical and/or sexual spousal violence victimization was 23.9%, and physical spousal violence perpetration was 2.9%. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, younger age (15-29 years), having children, having no education, low wealth status, being away from home for at least a month in the past year, drunkenness of the husband, no education of the husband, marital control behaviours, endorsing wife beating justification, and parental spousal violence was associated with physical and/or sexual spousal violence victimization in the past 12 months. Having no education, being away from home for at least a month in the past year, higher wealth status, drunkenness of the husband, marital control behaviours, endorsing wife beating justification, and parental spousal violence was associated physical spousal violence perpetration in the past 12 months. Although there was a decrease in spousal violence victimization from 2005/6 to 2015/16, its prevalence remains high calling for multi-sectorial prevention programmes.

Keywords: psychological spousal violence, physical spousal violence, sexual spousal violence, spousal violence perpetration, women, India