Violence against wives, sexual risk and sexually transmitted infection among Bangladeshi men

Abstract

Objective: To assess the relationship between men's reported violence against wives and their sexual risk behaviours and sexual health. Design, setting and participants: Cross-sectional analyses of a survey of a nationally representative household-based sample of married men in Bangladesh (n = 3096). Main outcome measure(s): Physical and sexual violence against wives during the previous 12 months was assessed and examined for relations to men's extramarital sexual behaviours and sexually transmitted infection (STI) symptoms or diagnosis during this same period, as well as to men's disclosure of such infection to wives and condom use while infected. Results: More than 1 in 3 (36.84%) married Bangladeshi men reported physically and/or sexually abusing their wives in the past year. Men perpetrating such violence were more likely to report both premarital and extramarital sex partners (OR adj s 1.80-3.45; 95% CI 1.20 to 8.23); those reporting physical violence were more likely to report STI symptoms or diagnosis in the past year (OR adj s 1.68-2.52; 95% CI 1.24 to 3.73). Men perpetrating physical violence and contracting an STI were somewhat more likely to fail to disclose infection status to wives (OR adj 1.58; 95% CI 0.93 to 2.70) than infected men not reporting such abuse. Conclusions: Violence against wives is common among Bangladeshi men. Men who perpetrate such abuse represent increased risk regarding their wives' sexual health because they are more likely to both participate in extramarital sexual behaviour and contract an STI compared with non-abusive husbands. Given the growing epidemic of HIV infection among monogamous South Asian women based on intercourse with infected non-monogamous husbands, research and intervention regarding men's violence in marriage and implications of such behaviour for women's sexual health should be prioritised. I ntimate partner violence (IPV) is widely recognised as a global public health concern, with immediate and long-term consequences to women including injury, psychological distress and compromised sexual health. [1][2][3][4] Of tremendous recent concern is consistent evidence demonstrating an increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among women experiencing IPV.1 5-8 Diminished control over sexual protection evidenced among women who are abused 9-11 may partially explain these associations. However, evidence of increased rates of sexual risk behaviour (eg, extramarital and multiple sex partnering, no or inconsistent condom use and forced unprotected sex) 1 12-17 among male perpetrators of IPV indicates the need for investigations into the associations of men's abusive and sexual risk behaviours as potentially compromising both their own sexual health as well as that of their female partners.Advancing knowledge of this topic is of particularly grave importance in South Asia given recent evidence indicating rapid increases in HIV infection rates among married monogamous women in this region for whom husbands represent the only...

Interpersonal- and Community-Level Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration among African American Men

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Marital violence and sexually transmitted infections among women in post-revolution Egypt

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Influence of Intimate Partners’ Violence on Unintended Pregnancy in Bangladesh

“…Existence of such a problem is not unlikely in Bangladesh [12]. Scientists have tried to relate violence by intimate partner with different social facets, but the influence of violence by male partners on unintended pregnancy in female partner has not been delved elaborately.…”

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