Journal Article

Is economic dependence on the husband a risk factor for intimate partner violence against female factory workers in Nepal?

Dhungel, Sunita, Dhungel, Pabita, Stock, Christiane, Dhital, Shalik Ram

2017

Overview

Background Violence related injury is a serious public health issue all over the world. This study aims to assess the association between several socio-economic factors and intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nepal. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 236 women working in carpet and garment factories in Kathmandu, Nepal. Interviews were conducted to collect quantitative data on three forms of IPV, namely physical violence, psychological violence and sexual violence, as well as on a number of potentially associated factors. Results Twenty-two percent of women experienced sexual IPV, 28% physical IPV and 35% psychological IPV at least once in the last 12 months. The variables independently associated with at least one form of IPV were: age of the woman >29 years [OR = 4.23, p  = 0.025 for physical IPV; OR = 6.94, p  = 0.008 for sexual IPV; OR = 3.42, p  = 0.043 for psychological IPV], alcohol consumption of the husband [OR = 9.97, p  < 0.001 for physical IPV; OR = 3.76, p  = 0.004 for sexual IPV; OR = 4.85, p < 0.001 for psychological IPV], education of the husband above primary level [OR = 0.43, p  = 0.013 for physical IPV; OR = 0.51, p  = 0.033 for psychological IPV], and economic dependency of the woman on the husband [OR = 3.04, p  = 0.021 for physical IPV; OR = 2.97, p  = 0.008 for psychological IPV]. Conclusions This study identified various factors associated with IPV and showed that economic dependence of wives on their husband was among the most important ones. Thus, for the prevention of IPV against women, long term strategies aiming at livelihood and economic empowerment as well as independence of women would be suggested.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Age / Alcohol / Alcohol use / Analysis / Clothing industry / Cross-Sectional Studies / Data / Data collection / Dependency theory / Domestic violence / Drinking behavior / Economic aspects / Economic dependency / Economic factors / Economics / Emotional abuse / Empowerment / Factories / Factory workers / Female / Gynecology / Health aspects / Humans / Husbands / Industrial workers / Informal economy / Injuries / Intimate partner violence / Livelihood / Male / Maternal and Child Health / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental health / Middle Aged / Migrant workers / Nepal / Population / Prevalence / Public health / Questionnaires / Reproductive Medicine / Research Article / Risk Factors / Rural areas / Sex crimes / Sex Offenses - economics / Sex Offenses - psychology / Sexual assault / Sexual violence / Socio-economic factors / Socioeconomic Factors / Socioeconomics / Spouse Abuse - economics / Spouse Abuse - psychology / Spouses / Spouses - psychology / Violence / Violence against women / Wives / Women / Women's mental and emotional health / Womens health / Working women / Young Adult