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

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saifa Binte Sanawar ◽  
Mohammad Amirul Islam ◽  
Shankar Majumder ◽  
Farjana Misu
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Younger Women ◽  
Childless Women ◽  
Differential Relationship

SummaryThe 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.

Positive Correlation Between Women’s Status and Intimate Partner Violence Suggests Violence Backlash in Mwanza, Tanzania

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110500
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Kilgallen ◽  
Susan B. Schaffnit ◽  
Yusufu Kumogola ◽  
Anthony Galura ◽  
Mark Urassa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Increased Risk

Urbanization in low and middle-income nations is characterized by economic and demographic shifts largely understood to be beneficial to women’s empowerment. These changes include increased education and wage-labor opportunities, a disruption of traditional patrilocal residence systems, and reductions in spousal age gap and fertility. However, such changes may drive a “violence backlash,” with men increasing intimate partner violence (IPV) in efforts to challenge women’s shifting status. To date, tests of this idea primarily relate to women’s changing economic status, with less known about the demographic correlates of IPV in urbanizing settings. Addressing this, we conducted a cross-sectional study of IPV behavior and attitudes in an urbanizing community in Mwanza, northern Tanzania ( n = 317). Consistent with a violence backlash, IPV was reported more often among women educated at higher levels than their husband, and women earning similar, rather than lower, wages to their husband were more likely to report that he condones IPV. These findings were independent of women’s absolute education and income. Furthermore, less frequent paternal kin contact, and relatively small spousal age gaps, generally understood to boost women’s empowerment, were associated with an increased risk of experiencing IPV. Less frequent paternal kin contact was also associated with an increased likelihood that a husband condones IPV. Contrary to our predictions, relatively lower fertility, generally linked to higher women’s empowerment, did not predict IPV behavior and women with high, rather than low, fertility were more likely to report that their husband condones IPV. Overall, our results support the notion of a violence backlash corresponding to economic changes for women that accompany urbanization. In contrast, demographic changes associated with urbanization have more variable relationships. Drawing on these results, we suggest future research avenues for better understanding the vulnerability of women to IPV in urbanizing settings.

scholarly journals Understanding the Impact of a Microfinance-Based Intervention on Women’s Empowerment and the Reduction of Intimate Partner Violence in South Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (10) ◽  
pp. 1794-1802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia C. Kim ◽  
Charlotte H. Watts ◽  
James R. Hargreaves ◽  
Luceth X. Ndhlovu ◽  
Godfrey Phetla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals R.E.S.P.e.c.T and intimate partner violence: a cross-sectional study using DHS data in Kenya

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. e046069
Author(s):  
Caleb L Ward ◽  
Siobán Harlow
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Summary Score ◽  
Wife Beating ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Younger Women

BackgroundThirty per cent of all women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the WHO’s novel R.E.S.P.E.C.T framework and IPV among women in Kenya.MethodsWe used the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS). Only women selected for the domestic violence module and who were married/living with their partner were eligible for this study (n=3737). We created a summary score for the strategies denoted by R.E.S.P.T based on availability of questions addressing these strategies in the KDHS, and a total score that summed responses across all strategies. Each letter was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha. Multiple logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between R.E.S.P.T scores and IPV.ResultsAll strategies except for E lowered the odds of IPV. Decision-making (R) was negatively associated with experiencing IPV (OR=0.62 (0.53 to 0.72)). Land and property ownership (E) were positively associated with experiencing IPV (OR=1.25 (1.08 to 1.43)). Access to healthcare (S) was negatively associated with experiencing IPV (OR=0.55 (0.48 to 0.63)). Higher levels of wealth (P) were negatively associated with experiencing IPV (OR=0.47 (0.37 to 0.62)). Not justifying wife-beating in any scenario (T) was negatively associated with experiencing IPV (OR=0.39 (0.29 to 0.53)). After adjusting for demographics, a 1-unit increase in total R.E.S.P.T score was negatively associated with experiencing IPV (AOR=0.63 (0.57 to 0.70)) with a similar finding for IPV in the past 12 months (AOR=0.59 (0.53 to 0.66)). Younger women, higher education and Muslim religion were associated with decreased odds of experiencing IPV while living in a rural location and working were associated with increased odds of experiencing IPV.ConclusionsOur study provides initial evidence that by using the multistrategy R.E.S.P.E.C.T framework, countries can dramatically lower the odds of women experiencing IPV. IPV prevention strategies must have a wide approach. The DHS can be used as a tool to monitor implementation and efficacy of this novel strategy.

scholarly journals Intersectional inequalities in younger women’s experiences of physical intimate partner violence across communities in Bangladesh

2022 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laila Rahman ◽  
Janice Du Mont ◽  
Patricia O’Campo ◽  
Gillian Einstein
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Younger Women ◽  
Intersectionality Theory

Abstract Background Physical intimate partner violence (IPV) risk looms large for younger women in Bangladesh. We are, however, yet to know the association between their intersectional social locations and IPV across communities. Drawing on intersectionality theory’s tenet that interacting systems of power, oppressions, and privileges work together, we hypothesized that (1) younger, lower educated or poor women’s physical IPV experiences will be exacerbated in disadvantaged communities; and conversely, (2) younger, higher educated or nonpoor women’s physical IPV experiences will be ameliorated in advantaged communities. Methods We applied intercategorical intersectionality analyses using multilevel logistic regression models in 15,421 currently married women across 911 communities from a national, cross-sectional survey in 2015. To test the hypotheses, women’s probabilities of currently experiencing physical IPV among intersectional social groups were compared. These comparisons were made, at first, within each type of disadvantaged (e.g., younger or poor) and advantaged (e.g., older or nonpoor) communities; and then, between different types of communities. Results While our specific hypotheses were not supported, we found significant within community differences, suggesting that younger, lower educated or poor women were bearing the brunt of IPV in almost every community (probabilities ranged from 34.0–37.1%). Younger, poor compared to older, nonpoor women had significantly higher IPV probabilities (the minimum difference = 12.7, 95% CI, 2.8, 22.6) in all communities. Similar trend was observed between younger, lower educated compared to older, higher educated women in all except communities that were poor. Interestingly, younger women’s advantage of higher education and material resources compared to their lower educated or poor counterparts was observed only in advantaged communities. However, these within community differences did not vary between disadvantaged and advantaged communities (difference-in-differences ranged from − 0.9%, (95% CI, − 8.5, 6.7) to − 8.6%, (95% CI, − 17.6, 0.5). Conclusions Using intersectionality theory made visible the IPV precarity of younger, lower educated or poor women across communities. Future research might examine the structures and processes that put them at these precarious locations to ameliorate their socio-economic-educational inequalities and reduce IPV in all communities. For testing hypotheses using intersectionality theory, this study might advance scholarship on physical IPV in Bangladesh and quantitative intersectionality globally.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document