Factors Associated with Women's Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence: An Analysis from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18


Wasifa Tasnim Shamma, Memorial University

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most noteworthy social and public health concerns in the world. It ensues in all contexts and among all socioeconomic, religious, and cultural groups with the overwhelming global burden experienced by women. At the moment, attitudes towards IPV perpetration against women in Bangladesh is not clearly understood although a comprehensive understanding of women’s attitudes towards IPV is central to preventing IPV among these marginalized women. Also, IPV is highly predominant in Bangladesh, yet national-level data on women's attitudes toward IPV are lacking in the country. Therefore, it is significant to explore women’s attitudes by identifying the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of those who justify IPV. To fill this gap, this study used the 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), conducted by the National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to examine the determinants of women’s attitudes towards IPV. Descriptive and multivariate analytical methods were used to model the data. The findings suggest women residing in rural areas, those with lower educational levels, and poorer women justified IPV. Thus, the present study is a significant endeavor to assess women’s attitudes toward IPV as a function of their socio-economic and demographic characteristics based on national-level data. Policy makers may target rural, poorer and women with lower levels of education with IPV preventive messages to curb its occurrence.

Non-presenting authors: Daniel Kudla, Memorial University; Eric Tenkorang, Memorial University

This paper will be presented at the following session: