Multi-level Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Domestic Violence Against Child Brides in Bihar, India: An Exploratory Study
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Date
2022-01-01
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Department
Psychology
Program
Psychology
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This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by UMBC for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/specoll/repro.php or contact Special Collections at speccoll(at)umbc.edu
This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by UMBC for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/specoll/repro.php or contact Special Collections at speccoll(at)umbc.edu
Abstract
Research indicates that child marriage and domestic violence (DV) against child brides are widely prevalent in India, more so in some states than others. Prior studies documented the risk factors associated with DV experience of adult women (18-49 years) in Bihar; however, studies have not yet identified the multi-level risk and protective factors for DV specific to child brides' social ecology. This investigation uses the conceptual lens of intersectional feminist theory and empowerment theory within the social-ecological model of violence against women as an organizing framework to explore risk and protective factors for DV against child brides examining variables at the social, community, household and relationship, and individual levels of analysis. Cross-sectional survey data on 3,182 child brides that participated in the Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) project conducted by the Population Council were analyzed. Fifteen potential risk factors and ten potential protective factors were examined as predictors of child brides' lifetime experience of DV. Risk factors that were uniquely associated with child brides' DV experience after controlling for other levels are – (a) dowry harassment and inequitable gender role attitudes at the social norm level, (b) lower caste at the community and systems level, (c) low SES, exposure to parental violence, interspousal communication on contraceptives and family planning, and reproductive coercion at household and marital relationship level, and (d) younger age at cohabitation at the individual level. In addition, higher maternal education, lower perceived self-efficacy, and higher social connections were protective against DV risk. The findings support intersectional feminist and empowerment theories of violence against women by demonstrating that many factors outside of child brides' control, such as caste, inequitable gender norms, exposure to parental violence, and reproductive coercion are associated with DV. Additionally, male backlash theory may help explain why higher interspousal communication and lower self-efficacy could be risk and protective factors for DV, respectively. The findings further demonstrate the need to develop gender-responsive DV prevention and intervention efforts to challenge the existing patriarchal socio-cultural norms to increase gender equity and reduce women's experience of forced early marriage and DV in Bihar and other states of India.