title: Association of Domestic Violence From Husband and Women Empowerment in Slum Community, Mumbai.
abstract: Prevalence of violence by husband against wife is an indicator of women's status at household level. The objective of the study is to understand the relationship between domestic violence and women's empowerment in a slum community in Mumbai, India. Data were collected from a sample of 1,136 married women aged 18 to 39 years having at least one child and reporting of unmet need for family planning. Domestic violence by husband against wife was measured in terms of either physical, sexual, or emotional violence. Three logit regression analyses were carried out using decision-making power, freedom of movement, and justified wife beating as dependent variables separately and socio-demographic and economic variables as independent variables. Furthermore, the relationship between domestic violence and women's decision-making power, freedom of movement, and justified wife-beating index has been explored. About 21% of women had ever experienced violence, and 38% of women had decision-making power with respect to own health care, household purchase, or visiting family and relatives. A little more than one fifth of the women reported freedom of movement to market, health facilities, or places outside the community. Women who justified wife beating were 2.29 (95% CI [1.59, 3.29]) times at risk of experiencing violence than women who disagreed with the wife-beating statements. Women not empowered in decision making were 1.15 (95% CI [0.91, 1.46]) times at risk of experiencing domestic violence than women who were empowered in decision making. Women who are empowered are less likely to be at risk of domestic violence. Programs aimed at empowering women must address socio-cultural norms relating to justification of violence in marriage.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, India bdonta2007@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Balaiah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Donta
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Saritha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Shahina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Begum
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Prakasam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: decision-making power; empowerment index; freedom of movement; justified wife beating; violence from husband