Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Journal of Family Violence 7/2017

01-10-2017 | Original Article

Men and Women’s Perceptions of Justifications of Wife Beating: Evidence from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012–13

Authors: Faiza Tayyab, Nudrat Kamal, Tahira Akbar, Rubeena Zakar

Published in: Journal of Family Violence | Issue 7/2017

Login to get access

Abstract

Pakistani women are vulnerable to all kinds of violence due to the patriarchal setup of society. We examined the justification of wife beating by women and men of reproductive group that comprised of 15–49 years of age by doing secondary data analysis on nationally representative cross- sectional survey data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, 2012–13. The analysis was conducted on randomly selected 13,558 ever- married women and 3134 ever- married men representing all the four provinces of Pakistan including Gilgit Baltistan and federal capital Islamabad. The data showed that women justified wife beating more as compared to men. The findings of multivariable logistic regression depicted that women living with partners, having no access to information, lacking autonomy, and no control over income were more likely to justify wife beating while men who did not have access to information were more in favor of this acts. These findings may help in devising strategies to change the mindset regarding justification of wife beating in Pakistan.
Literature
go back to reference Ammar, N. H. (2006). Beyond the shadows: Domestic spousal violence in a “democratizing” Egypt. Trauma, violence and Abuse, 7(4), 244–259.CrossRefPubMed Ammar, N. H. (2006). Beyond the shadows: Domestic spousal violence in a “democratizing” Egypt. Trauma, violence and Abuse, 7(4), 244–259.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Blood, R. O., & Wolfe, D. M. (1960). Husbands and wives: Dynamics of married living. New York: The Free Press. Blood, R. O., & Wolfe, D. M. (1960). Husbands and wives: Dynamics of married living. New York: The Free Press.
go back to reference Calvete, E. (2007). Justification of violence, beliefs and social problem-solving as mediators between maltreatment and behavior problems in adolescents. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 10(1), 131–140.CrossRefPubMed Calvete, E. (2007). Justification of violence, beliefs and social problem-solving as mediators between maltreatment and behavior problems in adolescents. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 10(1), 131–140.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Connell, R. W. (2002). Gender. Cambridge: Polity Press. Connell, R. W. (2002). Gender. Cambridge: Polity Press.
go back to reference Gelles, R. J. (1980). Violence in the family; a review of research in the seventies. Journal of Marriage and Family, 42(4), 873–885.CrossRef Gelles, R. J. (1980). Violence in the family; a review of research in the seventies. Journal of Marriage and Family, 42(4), 873–885.CrossRef
go back to reference Gracia-Moreno, C., Jansen, H. A. F. M., Ellsberg, M., Heise, L. L., & Watts, C. H. (2005). WHO, multicounty study on women’s health and domestic violence against women: Initials results on prevalence, health outcomes, and women’s responses. Switzerland: World Health Organization. Gracia-Moreno, C., Jansen, H. A. F. M., Ellsberg, M., Heise, L. L., & Watts, C. H. (2005). WHO, multicounty study on women’s health and domestic violence against women: Initials results on prevalence, health outcomes, and women’s responses. Switzerland: World Health Organization.
go back to reference Henning, K., Jones, A. R., & Holdford, R. (2005). “I didn’t do it, but if I did I had a good reason”: Minimization, denial, and attributions of blame among male and female domestic violence offenders. Journal of Family Violence, 20(3), 131–139. doi:10.1007/s10896-005-3647-8.CrossRef Henning, K., Jones, A. R., & Holdford, R. (2005). “I didn’t do it, but if I did I had a good reason”: Minimization, denial, and attributions of blame among male and female domestic violence offenders. Journal of Family Violence, 20(3), 131–139. doi:10.​1007/​s10896-005-3647-8.CrossRef
go back to reference Hidrobo, M., & Fernald, L. (2013). Cash transfers and domestic violence. Journal of Health Economics, 32(1), 304–319.CrossRefPubMed Hidrobo, M., & Fernald, L. (2013). Cash transfers and domestic violence. Journal of Health Economics, 32(1), 304–319.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Hunnicutt, G. (2009). Varieties of patriarchy and violence against women resurrecting “patriarchy” as a theoretical tool. Violence Against Women, 15, 553–573.CrossRefPubMed Hunnicutt, G. (2009). Varieties of patriarchy and violence against women resurrecting “patriarchy” as a theoretical tool. Violence Against Women, 15, 553–573.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Jejeebhoy, S. J. (1998). Wife-beating in rural India: A husband’s right? Evidence from survey data. Economic and Political Weekly, 33(15), 855–862. Jejeebhoy, S. J. (1998). Wife-beating in rural India: A husband’s right? Evidence from survey data. Economic and Political Weekly, 33(15), 855–862.
go back to reference Linos, N., Khawaja, M., & Al-Nsour, M. (2010). Women’s autonomy and support for wife beating: Findings from a population-based survey in Jordan. Violence and Victims, 25(3), 409–419.CrossRefPubMed Linos, N., Khawaja, M., & Al-Nsour, M. (2010). Women’s autonomy and support for wife beating: Findings from a population-based survey in Jordan. Violence and Victims, 25(3), 409–419.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Nasrullah, M., Zakar, R., & Zakar, M. Z. (2014). Child marriage and its associations with controlling behaviors and spousal violence against adolescent and young women in Pakistan. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55(6), 804–809.CrossRefPubMed Nasrullah, M., Zakar, R., & Zakar, M. Z. (2014). Child marriage and its associations with controlling behaviors and spousal violence against adolescent and young women in Pakistan. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55(6), 804–809.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Pena, G. M., Balacza, N. P., Esuivel-Santovena, E. E., Chimal, M. A., Valdes, M. E. J., & Lopez, G. J. (2012). Justification of domestic violence by Mexican women. Psychology Research, 2(12), 737–743. Pena, G. M., Balacza, N. P., Esuivel-Santovena, E. E., Chimal, M. A., Valdes, M. E. J., & Lopez, G. J. (2012). Justification of domestic violence by Mexican women. Psychology Research, 2(12), 737–743.
go back to reference Rabbani, F., Qureshi, F., & Rizvi, N. (2008). Perspective on domestic violence: Case study from Karachi, Pakistan. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 14(2), 415–425.PubMed Rabbani, F., Qureshi, F., & Rizvi, N. (2008). Perspective on domestic violence: Case study from Karachi, Pakistan. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 14(2), 415–425.PubMed
go back to reference Rashid, M., Manzur, K., Nirmala, K. P. P., & Arpana, S. (2014). Wife beating: A population-based study in Bangladesh. Violence and Gender, 1(4), 170–175. doi:10.1089/vio.2014.0015. Rashid, M., Manzur, K., Nirmala, K. P. P., & Arpana, S. (2014). Wife beating: A population-based study in Bangladesh. Violence and Gender, 1(4), 170–175. doi:10.​1089/​vio.​2014.​0015.
go back to reference Richie, B. (1996). Compelled to crime: The gender entrapment of battered black women. New York: Routledge. Richie, B. (1996). Compelled to crime: The gender entrapment of battered black women. New York: Routledge.
go back to reference Saunders, D. G., & Hamill, R. M. (2003). Violence against women: Synthesis of research on offender interventions. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, US Department of Justice Saunders, D. G., & Hamill, R. M. (2003). Violence against women: Synthesis of research on offender interventions. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, US Department of Justice
go back to reference Shah, M. M., Alam, N., Hassan, Q., Khan, S., Qayum, I., Bahadur, S., & Khalil, H. Z. (2012). Death in the home: Domestic violence against women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbotabad, 24(1), 48–51. Shah, M. M., Alam, N., Hassan, Q., Khan, S., Qayum, I., Bahadur, S., & Khalil, H. Z. (2012). Death in the home: Domestic violence against women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbotabad, 24(1), 48–51.
go back to reference Yodanis, C. L. (2004). Gender inequality, violence against women, and fear: A cross-national test of the feminist theory of violence against women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 19(6), 655–675.CrossRefPubMed Yodanis, C. L. (2004). Gender inequality, violence against women, and fear: A cross-national test of the feminist theory of violence against women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 19(6), 655–675.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Yount, M. K., & Li, L. (2009). Women’s justification of domestic violence in Egypt. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71(5), 1125–1140.CrossRef Yount, M. K., & Li, L. (2009). Women’s justification of domestic violence in Egypt. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71(5), 1125–1140.CrossRef
go back to reference Zakar, R., Zakar, M. Z., & Abbas, S. (2016). Domestic violence against rural women in Pakistan: An issue of health and human rights. Journal of Family Violence, 31(1), 15–25.CrossRef Zakar, R., Zakar, M. Z., & Abbas, S. (2016). Domestic violence against rural women in Pakistan: An issue of health and human rights. Journal of Family Violence, 31(1), 15–25.CrossRef
go back to reference Zakar, R., Zakar, M. Z., & Kramar, A. (2012). Voices of strength and struggle: Women’s coping strategies against spousal violence in Pakistan. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(16), 3268–3298.CrossRefPubMed Zakar, R., Zakar, M. Z., & Kramar, A. (2012). Voices of strength and struggle: Women’s coping strategies against spousal violence in Pakistan. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(16), 3268–3298.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Zakar, R., Zakar, M. Z., & Kramar, A. (2013). Men’s beliefs and attitudes toward intimate partner violence against women in Pakistan. Violence Against Women, 19(2), 246–268.CrossRefPubMed Zakar, R., Zakar, M. Z., & Kramar, A. (2013). Men’s beliefs and attitudes toward intimate partner violence against women in Pakistan. Violence Against Women, 19(2), 246–268.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Men and Women’s Perceptions of Justifications of Wife Beating: Evidence from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012–13
Authors
Faiza Tayyab
Nudrat Kamal
Tahira Akbar
Rubeena Zakar
Publication date
01-10-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Family Violence / Issue 7/2017
Print ISSN: 0885-7482
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2851
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-017-9910-y

Other articles of this Issue 7/2017

Journal of Family Violence 7/2017 Go to the issue