title: Women's Empowerment as a Protective Factor Against Intimate Partner Violence in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Exploration of the Process and Limitations of Its Influence.
abstract: Literature on the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) against women and women's empowerment is contradictory. Findings from a recent survey in rural Bangladesh suggest that empowerment is becoming protective even though IPV rates remain high. We construct qualitative case studies exploring factors and social processes underlying relationships between empowerment and IPV in four villages. Empowerment may be protective against IPV in the aggregate, but this relationship can be subverted at the micro level. Interventions are needed to reinforce the potential of empowerment to reduce IPV and counteract factors such as geographic isolation and limited employment opportunities that inhibit empowerment.
authors.affiliation: 1 FHI 360, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Sidney Ruth
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.affiliation: 2 FHI 360, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.affiliation: 3 BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Shamsul Huda
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Badal
authors.affiliation: 4 Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bates
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001459:Bangladesh; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011209:Power, Psychological; D065840:Protective Factors; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: empowerment of women; gender; intimate partner violence