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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 6, Issue 2, March 2013 pp 81-88

Research Article

A Cross Sectional Study of Domestic Violence in Married Women in Asudgaon Village of Raigad District

Drushti Parikh¹, Seema Anjenaya²

{¹M.B.B.S., ²Professor and HOD} MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, INDIA.

Academic Editor : Dr. Aher K.R.

 Domestic violence is a wide spread, deeply ingrained health and social problem among women, which is silently borne by the victims. Domestic violence constitutes willful intimidation, assault, battery, sexual assault or other abusive behavior perpetrated by one family member, household member, or intimate partner against another. According to NFHS-3 (2005-06), the prevalence of domestic violence in ever-married women who have ever experienced spousal violence is 37.2%.¹ Domestic violence has major implications on a woman’s health and victims hardly take recourse to law. Being a confidential, intimate and sensitive issue, women tend to hide or provide incomplete information, thereby making it crucial to understand the extent of domestic violence and its determinants. With this background, a community based, cross-sectional study on domestic violence was conducted during June to August 2010, among 250 randomly selected married women in Asudgaon village of Raigad district. The study endeavors to assess the prevalence of domestic violence, its causes including the demographic and socio-cultural determinants thereby helping the healthcare personnel in formulating comprehensive and effective strategies towards tackling this problem. A house to house visit was done and the women were interviewed personally using a pre-designed, pre-tested and structured questionnaire, designed to determine whether they were subjected to domestic violence and if yes, to assess its causes, including the demographic and socio-cultural determinants. The data collected on the day to day basis was compiled, tabulated and analyzed. Statistical analysis was done using Mean and Percentages. Out of the 250 married women, 83 women gave a positive history of domestic violence, thereby reporting a prevalence of 33.2%. The various causes for domestic violence, as reported by the affected females were conflict over cooking and household work (38.55%), wife’s nagging or arguing (32.53%), children related issues (30.12%) and economic distress (26.5%). Slapping (46.98%) was the commonest form of physical violence, followed by pulling hair (14.46%), twisting arm (13.25%) and having things thrown at her (13.25%). Experiences of sexual violence included marital rape (12.05%), being forced to have sex without protection (against pregnancy and STDs) (10.84%), being forced to perform unnatural sex (6.02%) and being forced to imitate acts as shown in pornographic films (4.82%). The most common socio-cultural risk factor for domestic violence, as reported by the respondents, was addiction (42.11%), followed by poverty (38.55%), husband brought up with the idea that wife-beating is acceptable (36.14%) and visiting brothels (16.86%). Among the reasons given by battered women to stay in violent relationships, most common cause was that the women were unaware about legal provisions (61.45%), followed by the fear of being looked down upon by the society (59.03%), for the sake of their children (54.22%) and the fear of complaining due to the threats received from the batterer (43.37%). 80.72% abused females were reported to have tolerated the violence. Only 5.26% of the affected females sought legal help to deal with the violence, while 15.66% females tried to convince the perpetrator. A comprehensive health sector response to this problem is needed whereby health sector can play a vital role in preventing violence against women, helping to identify abuse early, providing victims with the necessary treatment and referring women to appropriate care.