Domestic violence and risk of STIs among Indian women

Manisha Sengupta, U.S. Census Bureau
Nan Johnson, Michigan State University

Experiences of abuse by an intimate partner may not only render women powerless, but also make it difficult for them to negotiate safe sex within their sexual relationship. Yet, research on domestic/partner violence is largely limited to the factors associated with such violence and very little has been done on addressing the consequences of such violence. Using a sample of ever-married Indian women from the National Family Health Survey (1998/99) and in an attempt to address some of these gaps in current research on this topic, this paper attempts to examine the possible links between spousal violence and risk of STIs. Results indicate that women who have experienced spousal violence are significantly less likely to have discussed condom use with their husbands. Although knowledge of HIV/AIDS does not vary significantly with the experience of spousal violence, women who have experienced partner violence are more likely to present symptoms of STIs.