Is Socioeconomic Inequality Boosting Intimate Partner Violence in India? An Overview of the National Family Health Survey, 2005-2006 and 2015-2016

Purpose Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a breach of fundamental human rights, and a global health issue. While the literature is rich in research on the determinants of IPV, the possible effect of socioeconomic inequality on IPV has received little attention. The present paper is aimed at examining the effect of socioeconomic inequality on IPV in India, a nation where VAW is among the highest in the world. Methods We used data from the third and fourth round of National Family Health Survey for India, a nationally representative sample survey conducted in 2005-2006 and 2015-2016, respectively. It is claimed that, by eroding social capital in the living community, socioeconomic inequality raises the likelihood of witnessing violence. To estimate the impact of socioeconomic inequality on IPV, we rely on concentration curve, and decomposition analysis method. Results Our findings show a clear statistically significant positive association between IPV and socioeconomic inequality in India, though the percentage has decreased from 2005-2006 to 2015-2016 (39.7 to 31.0%). The large age gap between couples was found to be positively associated where younger women have a higher risk of IPV from their spouses. In addition, other covariates such as no education, husband's unemployment status, poor economic status of household increases the risk of IPV and were also statistically significant. Women's working status protected them against IPV (A.O.R = 0.80 [2005-2006]; A.O.R = 0.70 [2015-2016]), though there was a greater risk of IPV among uneducated women. Conclusion Poverty and deprivation among men often emerge as potentially important drivers of this. Interventions to empower women would not only expand women's access to economic services and opportunities, but should also collaborate with men and women to tackle men's livelihoods, male gender stereotypes, and masculinity norms.