Bhubaneswar: When the theme of UN women for the 30^th International Women Day has been “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment (REE),” the National Family Health Survey – 5 had a shocking revelation that completely shakes up the REE vision of UN Women.

When the country has introduced a section to IPC called Section 498 A to curb the menace of wife-beating, and now when the same section has drawn the attention of country’s Apex Court following rampant misuse by women for filing cases against their hubbies after fallout, the NFHS-5 findings make very interesting read when the State will be joining the international community in celebrating the International Women’s Day on March 8 (Saturday).

Section 498 A deals with matrimonial cruelty. The section introduced in 1983 states that – “Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.”

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SCENARIO IN ODISHA

Despite the law, the NFHS-5 reports that in Odisha, 31% percent of women age 18-49 have ever experienced physical violence, and 5% have ever experienced sexual violence. The Survey further adds:

• Overall, 32% of women experienced physical or sexual violence
• 4% experienced both physical and sexual violence.
• For ever-married women who experienced physical violence since age 15, the most common perpetrator was the current husband.
• 4% of pregnant women age 18-49 have ever experienced physical violence during one or more of their pregnancies.
• Who faced most domestic violence? NFHS-5 Answers
• Women with no schooling
• Women with 3-4 children
• Widowed, divorced, separated, or deserted, scheduled tribe women are more likely to experience violence during pregnancy than women in any other group.

ZOOM ON SPOUSAL VIOLENCE

Spousal violence means use of force or coercion by husband/wife against their partners which may leading to grave injuries.

The NHFS-5 has eye-popping details.

• 33% of ever-married women age 18-49 have experienced any form of physical violence committed by their husband
• 5%  have experienced any form of sexual violence committed by their husband
•  10% experienced any form of emotional violence committed by their husband.
• 26% married woman reported of having been slapped by their husband.
• 16% being pushed, shaken, or having something thrown at them.
• 7% experienced having their arm twisted or hair pulled
• 6% punched with a fist or something that could hurt her
• 5% kicked, dragged, or beaten up
• 2% reported of husband having tried to choke or burn her on purpose.
• 22% of women age 18-49 who have ever experienced physical or sexual violence reported suffering from injuries

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

The NFHS-5 has revealed many significant prevailing abusive trends in the Odisha society.

• 4%  of ever-married women age 18-49 report that their husbands have physically forced them to have sex even when they did not want to
• 3% report that their husband forced them with threats or in any other way to perform sexual acts they did not want to perform.

WIFE BEATING HIGHER IN URBAN THAN RURAL!

Even as the violent behavior among couples recedes with higher the education, there seems no wall between rural and urban. Numbers tell all.

• When 28 percent of men with atleast educated up to +2 justify so.
• 19% of women who have at least 12 years of schooling have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual spousal violence.
• 32% women in rural Odisha faced spousal violence
• Whearas, its 34% in urban Odisha.  

NFHS-5 finds that women whose mothers were beaten by their fathers are more twice as likely to be in abusive marriages themselves as compared with women whose mothers were not beaten by their fathers.

When the International Women’s Day theme calls for equality and empowerment, the same NFHS-5 has some startling revelations about women on wife beating!

NEARLY HALF OD ODISHA WOMEN JUSTIFIES WIFE BEATING

The aforementioned fact on domestic and spousal violence shows the violence leading to injuries, still nearly of women justified the wife beating by their hubbies. But they qualify it with some conditions.

• 49% of women agree that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife under some circumstances.
• 41% Women justify wife beating if a woman shows disrespect for her in-laws
• 26% justify if she neglects the house or children
• 24% call it justified if wife argues with husband.

MEN NOT IN FAVOUR OF WIFE BEATING IN ODISHA

Even as nearly of half of the women in the age group of 15-49 years have justified wife beating, the surprising disclosure the survey made is men in the State are not supporting violence against women in the State.

• 32% Men justified wife beating in some circumstances, such as
• Disrespecting in-laws
• Neglects house or children
• Argues with husband
• When she indulges in adultery

EDUCATED STAMPS WIFE BEATING

• Women/Men with at least 12 years of schooling supports wife beating in Odisha
• 34% of women with at least of +2 educated justifies wife beating with reasons

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