Factors associated with IPV victimisation of women and perpetration by men in migrant communities of Nepal

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 30;14(7):e0210258. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210258. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

This paper aims to describe the prevalent forms of intimate partner violence (IPV), and the factors associated with IPV among women and men living in the two migrant communities of Baglung district, Nepal. 357 adult women and men were enrolled following a family model, interviewing young married women with daughter-in-law status in the home, their husbands, and mothers-in-law and fathers-in-laws using an electronic questionnaire. Random effects regression modelling compared men and women, as well as young married women with daughter-in-law status and older women with mothers-in-law with status. 28.6% of women had ever experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner compared to 18.2% of men ever perpetrated these forms of violence against their wives. Being older, male controlling behaviour and poor relations with husband increased women's IPV in their lifetime while perceptions that the mother-in-law is kind were protective. Being ashamed of being unemployed and childhood trauma were associated with men perpetrating IPV in their lifetime. Borrowing money or food increased young married women's lifetime IPV risk while mother-in-law cruelty and male control increased older married women's lifetime IPV exposure. Factors associated with IPV in the past year among men were being younger, job seeking, experiences of childhood trauma and depression exposure among men while difficulty accessing money for emergencies, holding inequitable gender attitudes, and depression was associated with women's increased IPV exposure. Unemployment stress, holding inequitable gender attitudes and mother-in-law kindness were associated with young women's increased IPV risk and hunger, mother-in-law cruelty and depression with older women's IPV risk. There is a need to critically challenge harmful social and gender norms by using approaches that are sensitive to young married women's position and unequal gender relations in the family. IPV prevention interventions need to employ a holistic approach that combines changing social and gender norms and improving socioeconomic conditions of women living in migrant communities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Crime Victims / statistics & numerical data*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Family Relations
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intimate Partner Violence / psychology
  • Intimate Partner Violence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nepal
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Sexual Partners
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Transients and Migrants / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This research was funded by UK aid from the UK government, via the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls Global Programme. The funds were managed by the South African Medical Research Council. This manuscript draws on the findings from this original research; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.