Attitude Towards Wife-Beating Among Adult Males in India: Does Past Shape the Present?

Abstract

Background: Violence afflicted on women stands as both a major public health issue and violation of human rights. Globally, around 30 per cent of women fall victims to physical and/or sexual violence during their lifetime by their intimate partners or non-partners. Attitude towards domestic violence assumes as much importance as the issue itself, when it comes to efforts at termination of this menace. The current study seeks to explore the role of past experience in shaping attitude towards domestic violence against women, among adult males in India.

Data and Method: The study uses data from NFHS-5 (2019-21) on adult Indian males aged 15-54 years. Apart from simple descriptive statistics, logistic regression analysis has been employed as the main econometric method.

Results: A substantial 41.52 per cent of adult Indian males feel that wife beating is justified. Past experience of the father beating the mother turns out to be a significant determinant of justification of wife-beating among adult Indian males.

Conclusion: In sync with SDG Target 5.2.1 calling for elimination of violence against women and girls, policies involving both awareness drives and strong punitive measures as deterrents of domestic violence are the need of the hour.