Intimate partner violence (IPV) and household decision making: Dynamics among married couples in India

Background: This study examines one aspect of interpersonal dynamics between husbands and wives and Indian women's experience with intimate partner violence (IPV). Recent estimates suggest that nearly thirty-five percent of ever-married Indian women have experienced some form of spousal violence (e.g. physical, emotional or sexual) in their lifetime. To improve our understanding of factors related to IPV in India, the current study explores women's experience of IPV and household decision making among married couples in India. Methods: Using data from India's National Family Health Survey-3 (2005-2006), a nationally representative sample of 23,000 matched-couples is explored. First, univariate statistics are used to provide a description of the study sample, including sociodemographic characteristics. Next, binary logistic regression analyses are performed to assess the relationship between husbands' and wives' household decision making perceptions and women's experience with IPV. Results: Thirty-eight percent (37.9 %) of women in the sample experienced IPV. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, the greater the number of decisions women perceived they dominate, the more likely they were to experience IPV (OR=1.2; p>0.001). Additionally, lower levels of education, lower levels of wealth and nuclear families were factors significantly associated with a higher likelihood of violence. Conclusions: Women who transgress traditional gender roles by dominating decision making may place themselves at increased risk for IPV. However, household decision making is only one component of interpersonal couple dynamics, and as such, further investigation is needed to understand the full scope of IPV among married couples.