Does women empowerment associate with reduced risks of intimate partner violence in India? evidence from National Family Health Survey-5

BACKGROUND: Women empowerment is commonly believed to be an important factor affecting a woman’s likelihood of facing violence from her intimate partner. Even as countries invest in policies that aim to strengthen women empowerment, studies show that increase in women empowerment does not necessarily decrease intimate partner violence (IPV) against them. Against this paradox, the present study seeks to understand the specific empowerment components that associate with IPV against women in India. It also studies the state-level distribution of the different types of IPV. METHODS: The study analyses state-level data from the National Family Health Survey, India (2019–21). A total of 72,056 women responded to the domestic violence questionnaire. The Dimension Index (DI) was used to compute composite scores for Women Empowerment and for IPV to rank states and Union Territories. The correlation between Women Empowerment and IPV scores was determined using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The state of Karnataka had the highest composite score of IPV and also showed the highest burdens of physical, sexual and emotional IPV, while Lakshadweep had the lowest burden. Physical IPV was the most common form of IPV for most states across the country. The states in the western part of India had reduced burdens for all three types of IPV. Three specific components of empowerment, viz. household decision-making and mobile phone ownership significantly associated with reduction of all three types of IPV. Hygienic menstrual practices strongly associated with reduction of sexual and emotional IPV. However, property ownership of women increased risks of all three types of IPV, while employment had no significant association with any type of IPV. CONCLUSIONS: The study found no significant reduction in overall IPV with improvement in women empowerment. However, it identifies components of empowerment that associate with IPV. Household decision-making, ownership of mobile phones, and hygienic menstrual practices associated with a lowered risk. By contrast, owning property increased the risk. The findings of this study would inform future research and intervention that aim to strengthen specific components of women empowerment in India and other low-and-middle-income countries.