Share of women who believe a husband is justified in beating his wife

Percentage of women ages 15-49 who believe a husband/partner is justified in hitting or beating his wife/partner for any of the following five reasons: argues with him; refuses to have sex; burns the food; goes out without telling him; or when she neglects the children.

Statistical concept and methodology:

Methodology: This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of women ages 15-49 who agree that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife when she burns the food by total number of women ages 15-49 who have been interviewed. The data for this indicator are sourced from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). Statistical concept(s): This indicator is one of the sets of attitude questions concerning justifications of a husband beating his wife in Demographic and Health Surveys. These questions aim to understand women's perspectives on gender equality. Acceptance of wife beating indicates an underlying acceptance of a lower status for women.

Development relevance:

The collection of this data is crucial for assessing the degree to which women possess the empowerment necessary to exert control over their own actions, bodies, and sexual autonomy. Societal attitudes that condone the physical abuse of wives by their husbands reflect a diminished status of women and contribute to their disempowerment within domestic and intimate relationships. The empowerment and autonomy of women are vital to achieving sustainable development goals, with the elimination of violence against women being a specific target outlined in SDG 5.2. Furthermore, a woman's autonomy can affect the health of household members and the educational attainment of children.

Other notes:

Supportive attitudes should not automatically be seen as approval of wife-beating, nor do they mean that a woman or girl will inevitably become a victim of domestic violence. Instead, these attitudes should be viewed as reflecting the level of social acceptance of such practices. This acceptance can be shaped by the belief that women and girls hold a lower status in society compared to men and boys, or by the expectation that they should adhere to specific gender roles.