Intimate Partner Violence in Central India: A Qualitative Study of Rural and Urban Communities

Rationale: Intimate partner violence has been the most prevalent problem since ages, resulting from the patriarchal social system in India. The central part of the India sub-continent connects the infamous northern belt for its imbalanced sex-ratio and the southern belt where violence is quite prevalent even after a good literacy rate. The present study aimed to explore the prevalence and factors leading to domestic violence in central India.
Methods: The study was conducted in Madhya Pradesh. Focused group discussions (N=4) were conducted among the married women of rural and urban areas.
Results: Husband’s alcoholism, unemployment, gender role, familial instigation and intergenerational transfer of violent behavior were the major causes reported in rural areas. Whereas, women from urban areas attributed ego clashes, impact of peers, gender roles and poor emotion regulation as the causes for the domestic violence. In addition to it, dowry, gender discrimination and familial instigation were reported as the triggers to this violence. Women from both areas reported that the reactions to violence, awareness for rights, tendency to seek help from the government and social support affect the level of domestic violence. In both areas, the extent of harm from verbal and physical violence was similar irrespective of the marriage type and time duration. Serious impacts of domestic violence on physical and mental health of women and children of both areas were reported. Most importantly the nature of social interference, social support and their outcomes were reported differently in both areas. Occurrence of violence reduced in rural areas due to social interference. Women experienced the role of social support, family values, law and governmental policies as a controlling mechanism to violence.
Conclusion: Intimate partner violence is a cause of concern for the physical and mental health of women and children. Preventive measures are needed to be addressed along with the curative measures such as laws and policies.