Women’s status and domestic violence in rural Bangladesh: Individual- and community-level effects

Abstract

We explore the determinants of domestic violence in two rural areas of Bangladesh. We found increased education, higher socioeconomic status, non-Muslim religion, and extended family residence to be associated with lower risks of violence. The effects of women's status on violence was found to be highly context-specific. In the more culturally conservative area, higher individual-level women's autonomy and short-term membership in savings and credit groups were both associated with significantly elevated risks of violence, and community-level variables were unrelated to violence. In the less culturally conservative area, in contrast, individual-level women's status indicators were unrelated to the risk of violence, and community-level measures of women's status were associated with significantly lower risks of violence, presumably by reinforcing nascent normative changes in gender relations.

A global comprehensive review of economic interventions to prevent intimate partner violence and HIV risk behaviours

“…Two studies – one from Bangladesh and one from South Africa – suggested women’s participation in microfinance had no impact on IPV [44,53], while two studies from Bangladesh suggested involvement in microfinance reduced IPV [50,52], with three others suggesting a potential initial increase in women’s experience of IPV, and a reduction in risk over a longer time period [43,45,51]. In contrast, the other four studies suggested involvement in microfinance increased IPV, particularly under specific circumstances, including living in a conservative area [48], being wealthier [46,47,49] and residing in urban areas [49], suggesting a significant role was played by contextual factors. The only study which looked at HIV risk behaviours cross-sectionally in South Africa found no impact on these [53].…”

“…In India, a prospective cohort study of married women found that those who secured work in the study period were more likely to experience IPV than those who remained unemployed [80]. Second, studies reviewed highlighted that the impact of economic strengthening interventions on IPV may be contextually specific, with contextual factors including urban or rural residence [49] and whether the community was more liberal or conservative [48] shaping outcomes. Similarly, Heise and Kotsadam [81] in their cross-country analysis highlight that women’s work is protective for IPV in contexts where many women work, but increases IPV-vulnerability if few women work.…”

Omission of Men from Gender-Development Theory and Praxis: A Pathway for Addressing the Plights of Women?

“…The rationale underlying this argument is that with women's increasing access to and control over money, men become less abusive because of the fear of losing out on the loans brought home by their wives (Bajracharya and Amin, 2013). This idea is further elaborated by Koenig et al (2003) who added that women's self-reliance resulting from their control over resources mitigates their vulnerability to domestic violence. Similarly, Pronyk et al (2009), found in their study of villages in the Limpopo Province of South Africa that women who received microcredit reported lower physical and sexual violence by 55% compared to women from controlled villages where the intervention was not carried out.…”

Spousal Violence in Bangladesh: A Call for a Public-health Response

“…Youth is a risk factor for violence within marriage (5,6,12,20). In Bangladesh, many marriages are arranged for girls when they are in their teens (18).…”