Sexual Violence within Marriage and Vulnerability to STIs: Experience of Female Migrants in Low Income Communities of India

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.