Six in ten men in India admit to perpetrating some form of violence against their wife or intimate partner, according to a recent survey conducted by the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). The most predominate form of reported violence was physical abuse, followed by emotional, sexual, and economic violence. According to the survey, women reported less intimate partner violence than men. The survey’s authors attribute this discrepancy to the significant social stigma associated with reporting domestic violence in India.
The UNFPA and ICRW survey, Masculinity, Son Preference & Intimate Partner Violence, polled men and women across seven Indian states on issues of domestic violence and male preference. The two Indian states of Odisha and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest rates of violence, with over 70% of men admitting to violence against women. According to official government statistics, crimes associated with “cruelty by husband or his relatives” comprised nearly 40% of all crimes against women in India in 2013.
Compiled from: Reuters, Six Out of 10 Indian Men Admit Violence Against Wives: UN Study, The Times of India (November 10, 2014); Six in Ten Indian Men Admit Violence Against Partner: Study, The Economic Times (November 10, 2014).