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Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: Is Women Empowerment a Reducing Factor? A Study from a National Bangladeshi Sample

NCJ Number
235354
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 26 Issue: 5 Dated: July 2011 Pages: 411-420
Author(s)
Mosfequr Rahman; Md. Aminul Hoque; Satoru Makinoda
Date Published
July 2011
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article explores how women empowerment affects Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Bangladesh.
Abstract
This article explores how women empowerment affects Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Bangladesh using a cross-sectional investigation of currently married women (n=4,181) sampled via the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS), 2007. About one-fourth (24 percent) of currently married Bangladeshi women experienced both physical and/or sexual IPV in the past year. Prevalence of physical and sexual violence was 19.4 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively. Younger generation (age 15-24), illiterate, rural, and the poorest household wealth categorized women were much victimized. Current employment status predicted intimate partner violence. Household decisionmaking pattern also emerged as a predictor of IPV. Likelihood of all forms of IPV increases with increase of number of participation in household decisionmaking. Promoting women empowerment in the household without men's support may put women at more risk of IPV. (Published Abstract)