Background: Empowerment is vital for individuals' control over their lives but is often constrained for women in India due to deep-rooted patriarchal norms. This affects health, and resource distribution, and increases domestic violence. Domestic violence including physical, sexual, emotional, economic, and psychological abuse is a significant human rights and public health issue. Understanding the link between women's empowerment and attitudes toward physical violence is essential for addressing this problem.
Objectives: To explore the relationship between various aspects of women's empowerment and their attitudes toward the justification of physical violence in specific circumstances. The study aimed to provide insights into how empowerment can serve as a protective factor against domestic violence.
Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), collected from 2019 to 2021. The study was carried out between July 2023 and March 2024.
Methods: Data from NFHS-5, focusing on women aged 15-49 who completed the domestic violence module, were analyzed. Women's empowerment was measured through employment, asset ownership, and decision-making autonomy. The study assessed 8 indicators of employment, 12 of asset ownership, 9 of decision-making, 5 justifying physical violence, and 11 indicators of physical abuse. Frequencies, percentages, Fischer's exact test, and logistic regression were used, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Of 4562 women, 23 (0.7%) were employed, 3397 (74.5%) owned mobile phones, and 744 (21.9%) used them for transactions. Joint financial decisions were made by 2692 (75.2%) couples. Restrictions on meeting friends were reported by 376 (10.1%), and 431 (11.6%) had trust issues with partners. Physical violence was justified by 934 (20.5%) for neglecting children, and 3365 (90.4%) experienced partner violence. Land ownership was reported by 383 (8.4%) women. Empowered women were less likely to justify or experience violence, with mobile phone use and decision-making autonomy linked to reduced violence.
Conclusion: Women's empowerment through employment, asset ownership, and decision-making is associated with reduced justification and prevalence of physical violence. Despite progress, entrenched societal norms persist. Interventions should focus on economic and social empowerment, addressing cultural attitudes and promoting gender equality.
Keywords: National Family Health Survey-5; domestic violence; gender equality; physical abuse; women empowerment.
Breaking the cycle: Empowering women to end domestic violence in IndiaOur research looks at how helping women have more control over their lives can stop domestic violence in India. We looked at a lot of information from a big survey that asked women about their lives. We found that when women have jobs, own things such as phones and houses, and have a say in important decisions, they are less likely to be hurt by their partners. This shows that when women have more power and independence, they are safer from violence. Having a job and earning money on their own means women do not have to rely on someone else, making it harder for them to be controlled or hurt. Also, owning things such as phones and houses can give women a sense of security and control over their lives, making them less likely to accept violence. When women are involved in making decisions about their health and family, they feel more confident and are less likely to accept violence. This research tells us that it is really important to support women to have more control over their lives. When women are educated, have jobs, own things, and can make their own decisions, they are safer from violence. So, we need to focus on giving women more opportunities and support to empower themselves. This will not only make their lives better but also help make our society safer and fairer for everyone.