Skip to main content

Wife Abuse in Tamil Nadu

Journal of Family Violence volume 27, pages 275–285 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Wife abuse is a major public health and human rights problem. Using an ecological framework, data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2005–2006) of 3446 women were analyzed to determine the factors associated with wife abuse in urban and rural Tamil Nadu, India. The prevalence rate of wife abuse in the year prior to the interview was 25.8% and was similar across urban and rural areas. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that in urban and rural Tamil Nadu, the micro level variables explained the highest percentage of variance in wife abuse followed by the ontogenetic, the exo system, and the macro system variables. Some of the variables that were significantly associated with wife abuse in Tamil Nadu were witnessing parental violence, drinking habit in husbands, emotional abuse, patriarchal ideology, and positive attitudes towards abuse. Implications of the results are discussed within the socio-cultural milieu of the respondents.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Ahuja, R. (1998). Violence against women. New Delhi: Rawat.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergman, B., & Brismar, B. (1991). Suicide attempts by battered wives. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 83(5), 380–384.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Biesenthal, L., & Sproule, D. L. (1997). Violence against women in rural communities in Canada, research project backgrounder. Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. (2002). Health consequences of intimate partner violence. Lancet, 359(9314), 1331–1336.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Census of India (2001). Vital statistics. Retrieved on February 2nd from http://www.censusindia.net.

  • Cunningham, A., Jaffe, G. P., Baker, L., Dick, T., Malla, S., Mazaheri, N., & Poisson, S. (1998). Theory driven explanations of male violence against female partners: Literature update and related implications for treatment and evaluation. Retrieved on March 12th from http://www.lfcc.on.ca/maleviolence.pdf.

  • Dhuvarajan, V. (1993). Ethnic cultural retention and transmission among first generation Hindu Asian Indians in a Canadian prairie city. Journal of Comparative Studies, 24(1), 63–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diop-Sidibé, N., Campball, C. J., & Becker, S. (2006). Domestic violence against women in Egypt—wife beating and health outcomes. Social Science and Medicine, 62(5), 1260–1277.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dobash, E. R., & Dobash, R. (1979). Violence against women. New York: Free.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dutton, G. D. (1994). Patriarchy and wife assault: the ecological fallacy. Violence & Victims, 9(2), 125–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellsberg, M., Peña, R., Herrera, A., Liljestrand, J., & Winkvist, A. (2000). Candles in hell. Women’s experience of violence in Nicaragua. Social Science and Medicine, 51(11), 1595–1610.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gage, J. A. (2005). Women's experience of intimate partner violence in Haiti. Social Science and Medicine, 61(2), 343–364.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerber, G. L. (1995). Gender stereotypes and the problem of marital violence. In L. L. Adler & F. L. Denmark (Eds.), Violence and the prevention of violence (pp. 145–155). Westport: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerstein, L. (2000). In India poverty and lack of education are associated with men’s physical and sexual abuse of their wives. Injury Control and Prevention, 26(1), 44–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson-Davis, M. C., Magnuson, K., Gennetian, A. L., & Duncan, J. G. (2005). Employment and the risk of domestic abuse among low-income women. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(5), 1149–1168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golding, M. J. (1999). Intimate partner violence as a risk factor for mental disorders: a meta-analysis. Journal of Family Violence, 14(2), 99–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Government of Tamil Nadu. (2007). Statistical handbook, 2007. Department of Economics and Statistics. Retrieved on 12th January 2009 from http://www.tnstat.gov.in/statistical-handbook.html

  • Haj-Yahia, M. M. (2000). Implications of wife abuse and battering for self-esteem, depression, and anxiety as revealed by the second palestinian national survey on violence against women. Journal of Family Issues, 21(4), 435–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heise, L. (1998). Violence against women: an integrated, ecological framework. Violence Against Women, 4(3), 262–290.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heise, L. L., Raikes, A., Watts, H. C., & Zwi, B. A. (1994). Violence against women: a neglected health issue in less developed countries. Social Science and Medicine, 39(9), 1165–1171.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, L. K., Demo, H. D., & Edwards, N. J. (1994). Physical wife abuse in a non-western society: an integrated theoretical approach. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56(1), 131–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hollander, D. (2004). Indian women who have daughters but no sons face an increased risk of marital dissolution. International Family planning perspectives, 30(1), 48–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irudaya Rajan, S., & James, S. K. (2008). Third national family health survey in india: issues, problems and prospects. Economic & Political Weekly, 43(48), 33–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaden, P., & Thoemmes, N. (2000). Extent, nature and consequences of Intimate Personal Violence (IPV). Findings from the national violence against survey. U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved on September 2nd from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181867.pdf

  • Jejeebhoy, S. J. (1998). Wife-beating in rural India: a husband’s right? Economic and Political Weekly, 33(15), 855–862.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeyaseelan, L., Sadowski, S. L., Kumar, S., Hassan, F., Ramira, L., & Vizcarra, B. (2004). World studies of abuse in the family environment-risk factors for physical intimate violence. International Journal of Injury prevention and Safety Control, 11(2), 117–124.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kakkar, S. (1998). Feminine identity in India. In R. Ghadially (Ed.), Women in Indian society: A reader (pp. 44–68). New Delhi: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, L. W., & Dutton, G. D. (1989). The incidence of wife assault in Alberta. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 21(1), 40–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, M., Stephenson, R., Ahmed, S., Jejeebhoy, J. S., & Campbell, J. (2006). Individual and contextual determinants of domestic violence in North India. American Journal of Public Health, 96(1), 132–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koss, M. P. (1993). The impact of crime victimization on women’s medical use. Journal of Women Health, 2(1), 67–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laungani, P. (2005). Families in global perspective. In J. L. Roopnarine & U. P. Gielen (Eds.), Changing patterns of family life in India (pp. 85–103). Boston: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenton, L. R. (1995). Power versus feminist theories of wife abuse. Canadian Journal of Criminology, 37(3), 305–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ludermir, B. A., Schraiber, B. L., D'Oliveira, F. P. L. A., França-Junior, I., & Jansen, A. H. (2008). Violence against women by their intimate partner and common mental disorders. Social Science and Medicine, 66(4), 1008–1018.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, L. S., Ong Tsui, A., Maitra, K., & Marinshaw, R. (1999). Domestic violence in Northern India. American Journal of Epidemiology, 150, 417–426.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, L. S., Moracco, E. K., Garro, J., Ong Tsui, A., Kupper, L. L., Chase, L. J., & Campbell, C. J. (2002). Domestic violence across generations: findings from northern India. International Journal of Epidemiology, 31(3), 560–572.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Menon Sen, K., & Shiva Kumar, K. A. (2001). Women in India, how free? How equal? New Delhi: UNDAF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Women and Child Development. (2009). Gendering Human Development Indices: Recasting the Gendering Development Index and Gendering Empowerment Measure for India. Retrieved on 15th July 2010 from http://wcd.nic.in/publication/GDIGEReport/Part2.pdf

  • Mullatti, L. (1995). Families in India: beliefs and realities. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 26(1), 11–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Najera, T. P., Gutierrez, M., & Bailey, P. (1998). Bolivia: follow-up to the 1994 Demographic and Health survey, and women’s economic activities, fertility and contraceptive use. Research Triangle Park, NC, Family Health International.

  • National Family Health Survey. (NFHS3) (2005–2006). India DHS final survey report. Retrieved on April 4th from http://www.measuredhs.com.

  • Naved, R. T., Azim, S., Bhuiya, A., & Persson, L. A. (2006). Physical violence by husbands: magnitude, disclosure and help-seeking behavior of women in Bangladesh. Social Science & Medicine, 62(12), 2917–2929.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panda, P., & Agarwal, B. (2005). Marital violence, human development and women’s property status in India. World Development, 33(5), 823–850.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad, S. (1999). Medicolegal responses to violence against women in India. Violence Against Women, 5(5), 478–506.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Project Madurai. (1999). Thirukkural. Retrieved March 4th from http://www.projectmadurai.org/

  • Rao, V. (1997). Wife-beating in rural south India: a qualitative and econometric analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 44(8), 1169–1180.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rastogi, M., & Therly, P. (2006). Dowry and its link to violence against women in India: feminist psychological perspectives. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 7(1), 66–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, A. R. (1988). Substance abuse among men who batter their mates: the dangerous mix. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 5(2), 83–87.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sankaranarayanan. G. (2001). Gender bias in an Indian language. Language in India. Retrieved november12th 2007 from http://www.languageinindia.com/sep2001/genderandlang.html

  • Singh, J. P. (2005). The contemporary Indian family. In B. N. Adams & J. Trost (Eds.), Handbook of world families (pp. 129–166). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. D. (1990). Patriarchal ideology and wife beating: a test of a feminist hypothesis. Violence and Victims, 5(4), 257–274.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sonkin, D. J. (1985). The male batterer: An overview. In D. J. Sonkin, D. Martin, & L. E. A. Walker (Eds.), The male batterer: A treatment approach (pp. 33–58). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, S. (2009). Interpersonal violence in alcohol complicated marital relationships (A Study from India). Journal of Family Violence, 24(8), 1573–2851.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stith, M. S., Rosen, H. K., Middleton, A. K., Busch, L. A., Lundeberg, K., & Carlton, P. R. (2000). The intergenerational transmission of spouse abuse: a meta-analysis. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62(3), 640–654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stith, M. S., Smith, B. D., Penn, E. C., Ward, B. D., & Tritt, D. (2004). Intimate partner physical abuse perpetration and victimization risk factors: a meta-analytic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 10(1), 65–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugarman, B. D., & Frankel, L. S. (1996). Patriarchal ideology and wife-assault: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Family Violence, 11(1), 1573–2851.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women. (2005). Gender Profile Tamil Nadu. Retrieved August 29th 2009 from http://ncw.nic.in/pdfreports/Gender%20Profile-Tamilnadu.pdf

  • United Nations Economic and Social commission for Asia and Pacific. (UNESCO) (2001). Reducing disparities: Balanced development of urban and rural areas and regions within the countries of Asia and the Pacific. Retrieved October 10th 2009 from http://www.unescap.org/pdd/publications/Disparities/disparities.pdf

  • Visaria, L. (2008). Violence against women in India: is empowerment a protective factor? Economic & Political weekly, 43(48), 60–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vissaria, L. (1999). Intimate partner violence against women in India: Evidence from rural Gujarat. Washington: International Center for Research on Women.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (WHO) (2001). World report on violence and health. Retrieved on October 11th 2004 from http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/en/index.html

  • Yllö, K. A., & Straus, M. A. (1990). Patriarchy and violence against wives: The impact of structural and normative factors. In M. A. Straus & R. J. Gelles (Eds.), Physical violence in American families (pp. 383–399). New Brunswick: Transaction Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoshihama, M., & Sorenson, S. B. (1994). Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse by male intimates: experiences of women in Japan. Violence and Victims, 9(1), 63–77.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to the reviewers for their excellent comments. My sincere thanks to Ms. Vishalini Carolyn Street, Lecturer, Temasek polytechnic, Singapore for proof reading and Dr. Aravindhan Natarajan, school of social work, Visiting Assistant Professor, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University for providing important suggestions on the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore

    Srinivasan Chokkanathan

Authors
  1. Srinivasan Chokkanathan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Srinivasan Chokkanathan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chokkanathan, S. Wife Abuse in Tamil Nadu. J Fam Viol 27, 275–285 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9430-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9430-8

Keywords

  • Wife abuse
  • India
  • Battered women
  • Ecological theory