Gender-Based Violence

Introduction: Researchers have begun conducting online Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) as a qualitative research tool; however, there is scant methodological literature examining the data quality of online versus in-person FGDs.
Methods: Two online FGDs were compared to two randomly selected in-person FGDs (of 8). Both formats used identical guides are were conducted by the same moderator. FGDs were transcribed, coded thematically, and analyzed comparatively.
Results: In-person FGDs were shorter than online FGDs (mean: 120 v. 93 minutes) but resulted in larger word counts (mean 15,907 v. 4,981). However, FGD content was similar: of 27 thematic codes identified, 23 appeared in both, 2 in in-person only, and 1 in online only. Discussion: Online FGDs were acceptable and methodologically successful. In-person FGDs generated greater data depth; online FGDs generated greater data breadth. Codes identified in online FGDs only suggest that sensitive topics may emerge more candidly in online FGDs due to heightened anonymity. However, technical constraints of online FGDs led to less sharing of in-depth stories among participants, and probing for detail proved difficult. Online FGDs, particularly for sensitive subjects, may be an effective method of increasing data breadth and should be considered for parallel use with in-person FGDs.

Link between migration, lower SES, and limited power, which are major determinants of sexual violence, elevated risk for HIV transmission, may be greater among migrant women. Further, the nexus between alcohol consumption and its effect on poor sexual decision making, unsafe sex, multiple partners, and increased sexual experimentation, has been extensively established through empirical study relying on self-report survey data. However, research on factors associated with married women’s ability to manage sexual relations with spouse and data on sexual violence within marriage remains limited. This paper analyzes factors affecting married female migrant’s ability to influence their sexual experience within marriage, specifically sexual communication with spouse. It also examines the extent to which alcohol consumption by husband leads to sexual violence and affects their sexual health. The paper is based on quantitative data collected from 513 female migrants and few in-depth interviews conducted in eight densely populated slums of Mumbai, India.

Intimate partner violence (IPV), a common form of violence against women perpetrated by husband or intimate male partner, often happens in low developed countries. IPV is found to be associated with range of negative effects: often leads to still birth, premature delivery, low birth weight, high risk of STI, lower use of maternal health care etc. In India, at least half of battered wives reported the episode of violence while they were pregnant. However, there is no clear understanding about the association between IPV and unintended pregnancy in the context of India.
The present study examines the relationship between IPV and unintended pregnancy in India .The study uses data from third round of National Family and Health Survey conducted during 2005-2006. The original sample size is restricted to currently-married women of reproductive age who completed the surveys Domestic Violence Module and who had a pregnancy in the past five years. Using multinomial logistic regression, the study compares outcomes of current/last pregnancy (intended, mistimed and unwanted) by exposure to various types of IPV.
Women who ever experienced IPV showed consistently higher risks of unintended pregnancy in India. After adjusting for socio-demographic covariates and lifet

In recent years, many global initiatives have emphasized the importance of women’s autonomy in reducing childhood morbidity and mortality rates. In Sub-Saharan Africa, health organizations and initiatives have implemented immunization coverage as an effective means of reducing morbidity and mortality. Less than ¼ of Ethiopian children were fully immunized in 2011. In addition, low levels of autonomy among women due to early marriages and lack of education limit women’s abilities to improve their children’s health. This study analyzed how dimensions of women’s autonomy, decision making abilities and attitudes on wife beating, improves the immunization status of children 12-30 months using the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys. After controlling for all covariates, women who were able to make decisions concerning their mobility and finances were 2 times more likely to have fully immunized children, compared to women who did not have these decision making abilities, net of socioeconomic measures. In addition, women who did not find wife beating acceptable were more likely to fully immunized children compared to women who found wife beating acceptable. Future policy implications for child health in Ethiopia must focus on increasing the specific means through which women can have greater control of their lives.

Seeds of Women’s movement in India were sowed during the British rule. With the help of social reformers like Rajaram Mohan Roy, Ishwarchand Vidyasager, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, Britishers brought open education system, emancipation of women against evil practices and equal rights for all. They passed various laws in abolishing the inhuman practices like child marriage, untouchability, sati practice and promoted widow remarriage. In spite of these revolutionary laws still for generations women have been silenced into inaction for fear of social stigma, shame and rejection. Sexual harassment at work place, whether educational institution or corporate sector, is very large in number. Sexual harassment at workplace is not the problem of an individual woman—it disturbs the dynamics of the workplace and affects the status of women at large—it is about power play and sexual politics, it occurs with the abuse of power. Sexual harassment is rooted in cultural practices and exacerbated by power relations in the workplaces. The present study would highlight the problems faced by working women at work place in Mumbai (India) inspite of considerable egalitarianism in terms of women’s rights, freedom, participation of women in decision making and empowerment.

Domestic violence has stems in Indian society because of women’s subordinate position relative to men in families and society. While some progress has undoubtedly made to decrease the violence, women in India continue to suffer from violence at homes mainly by their partners. Seeking to address the problem, this study tries to identify how does prevalence of spousal violence vary by educational and occupational status of women? What is the relationship between spousal violence and education? What type of occupation has stronger effect on spousal violence? Data for this study is Indian National Family Health Survey-3 (2005-06). The study shows that highly educated women experience less spousal violence as compare to uneducated women or women with less education. It has also been found here, working women were more likely to experience violence from their husbands. Further, violence is high among women who were agric employee or engaged in service or skilled or unskilled manual work. The interaction effect of education and occupation show that illiterate and working women experience more violence as compare to other interaction categories. Thus, the study points the seriousness of the issue and reveals that spousal violence against women is widespread and an alarming global concern.

This paper focuses on a study that identified and analysed all existing estimates of the prevalence of Female genital mutilation in all 28 European Union Member States and provided suggestions on how ideally it should be estimated. The presentation will present main findings and conclusions.

Objectives: The study aimed at identifying and analysing existing prevalence data on female genital mutilation in the 28 EU Member States and to provide recommendations for an improved estimation of prevalence of FGM.

Methods: The study on prevalence was part of a broader study, and was performed between December 1 2011 and December 15 2012. It included a systematic web-based search in all EU Member States and Croatia, performed by 28 national researchers (one in each Member State), following a common methodology for performing the research, analysis and reporting. The methodologies used in the studies on prevalence data were analysed and discussed at an international expert meeting.

Results: We identified no ongoing, systematic, representative surveys on FGM prevalence in all 28 countries. In 8 countries, we identified 13 prevalence studies and a number of critical issues with these studies. The paper proposes definitions of a baseline and an enhanced FGM prevalence estimate. A number of administrative records were equally ide

Using cross sectional data from Nepal Adolescents and Youths Survey 2011, this study attempts to explore the determinants associated with practice during menstruation among Nepalese female adolescents and youths. The survey of this study uses two stages stratified sampling techniques. Altogether 14853 adolescents youths (7109 boys and 7644 girls) aged 10-24 from 300 cluster comprising 9000 households were selected for the interview.
Although bi-variate analysis reveals a positive association between selected background characteristics (education, mass media exposure and parental education) and avoidance of touching during menstruation, multivariate analysis confirms that education, mass media exposure, parental education have positive impact to avoid superstitions regarding menstrual practices in Nepal. As expected, female youths having better education, exposed to mass media and whose parents are educated are less likely to avoid touching during menstruation.
This study is conclusive that education of female, particularly for the remote, rural and interior parts of the country should be focused. In addition, information, education and communication can be one of the best strategies to air the positive messages towards living healthy life.

One gap identified in Ghana’s national gender and children’s policy framework is a goal focusing on the protection of women. Using the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this study attempts to explore the relationship between women’s duration of marriage and forms of domestic violence experienced, grouped here into four types (emotional violence, less severe physical violence, severe physical violence and sexual violence). The results of analysis show that for all forms of violence, the proportion of women older their husbands that are experiencing violence is greater than the proportions in the other age categories. The results also showed that women that had been married for a period between five and nine years were 2.5 times as likely to experience less sever violence as women that had been married for 0 to 4 years. Again, all forms of domestic violence reach their peak between five to nine years of marriage, with SEXUAL VIOLENCE being highest at this peak. The study recommends a provision in the national gender and children policy, for a preventive measure that aims at the protection of women.
Keywords: marital duration, violence, Ghana, male supremacy

Literature suggests a number of explanations for people’s perceptions on domestic violence. Using the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) data, the study sought to investigate the relationship between parental violence and men’s perceptions on spousal abuse.
The dependent variables were five different measures on men’s perceptions of wife-beating for transgressed gender norms, while the independent variable sought to illicit information on past parental domestic violence instances.
Controlling for demographic and socio-economic variables, logistic regression models showed that men whose fathers beat their mothers were between 1.5 to 2.5 times as likely to find wife beating acceptable as those who did not witness parental abuse, indicating that a person’s awareness of parental violence (wife-beating) could influence their perceptions on wife-beating.
While children of victims must be targeted with a variety of approaches including counseling, there should be culture-specific interventions that prevent the culturally influenced acceptance of domestic violence.
Keywords: Domestic Violence, Parental Violence, Male Perceptions, Wife-Beating, Ghana.