Tackling intimate partner violence in South Asia

Abstract

Violence inflicted by intimate partners is a major public health and human rights issue in South Asia. The serious impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) are felt most keenly by women and adolescent girls, but it has broader social and economic costs for communities and for countries. There is no global IPV index, but the most recent data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for Pakistan reveal that 39% of women aged 15-49 who have ever been married report that they have experienced IPV at some time, while 33% have experienced it in the previous 12 months (National Institute of Population Studies [NIPS] et al., 2013 and ICF International, 2013). In Nepal these rates are 33% and 17% respectively (Ministry of Health Population [Mohp] Nepal et al., 2012, New ERA, Nepal and ICF International, 2012). Bangladesh has no comparable DHS figures, but a national survey on violence against women and girls (VAWG) notes prevalence rates of 49.6% for physical violence, 28.7% for psychological violence and 27.2% for sexual violence (BBS, 2016). While there is a robust body of evidence on the impact on women of their exposure to IPV, relatively little is known about what determines the attitudes of the men and boys who resort to such violence. A lack of knowledge about why they do what they do – and how this can be addressed – is a constraint to effective programme and policy responses. This short report summarises findings from a multicountry study on the multi-level influences that shape the perpetration of IPV by men and boys in South Asia, as well as the policy, programming and institutional dynamics that mediate attitudes and behaviours around IPV. Drawing on a mixed-methods primary and secondary data analysis from three countries facing different forms of state fragility – Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan – we explored three key questions. 1. To what extent do social norms drive male perpetration of IPV in South Asia? 2. In what ways do broader political economic dynamics shape attitudes, behaviours and service provision regarding IPV? 3. What are the entry points for policy and programming to tackle male perpetration of IPV? The short report aims to synthesise the key findings from this study and provide programming and policy recommendations to tackle IPV in South Asia. It stresses the importance of engaging with men and boys in efforts to tackle IPV, particularly given a backlash that appears to be growing as women become more empowered in the region.