One of the most common forms of violence against women worldwide is abuse by their husband or partner. PHOTO: ONLINE
The Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) recently issued a comprehensive report in which, among various other questions, respondents were asked to choose reasons for which it is justified for a husband to hit his wife.
The 2012-13 PDHS includes results from completed interviews with 13,558 women and 3,134 men age 15-49, all of whom have been married at least once in their lives.
The report summarised findings from between 2012 and 2013 on various topics including maternal and child health, infant mortality levels, immunisation and awareness regarding HIV/AIDS.
The section 'Women’s empowerment and demographic and health outcomes' included a survey on attitudes towards domestic violence. The respondents were presented with six reasons that may be used to justify wife beating.
The six circumstances were: if the wife burns the food, if she argues with him, if she goes out without telling him, if she neglects the children, if she refuses to have sexual intercourse with him and if she neglects her in-laws. Respondents were allowed to choose multiple reasons.
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The most widely accepted reason for wife beating among women in Pakistan is arguing with the husband (34%). 28% of women agree that a husband is justified in beating his wife if she neglects her in-laws and 18% agreed that a husband is justified in beating his wife if she burns the food.
Similar to the pattern among women, men are least likely to agree that burning the food is a valid reason for wife beating.
The majority of men (19.8%) felt that the most justified reason for beating their wife was the wife going out without telling him.
They also show similar levels of support for the other five reasons (16-20%), although at much lower levels than among women.
Across all six reasons, women voted in higher numbers than men. Among the respondents, 66% of men didn't agree with any of the reasons mentioned while the percentage among women was 57.5%.
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@Nobody:
As always the voice of reason.
@Moiz: Well spoken.
Its sad how many women are convinced they deserve violence. Inequality and subhuman runs deap. So sad.
@True Pakistani: idiot. Violence isnt the answer you heathen.
@True Pakistani: There is no equality if one person is allowed to force his/her will on the other. Equality only occurs when both parties in a relationship/marriage have the SAME rights and restrictions. If the husband can leave the home without the permission then the wife, living in an equal situation, can leave the home without permission. If the husband can say no to sex with no consequence then so to can the wife. If a husband can disagree and refuse to what his wife instructs then an equal wife can do the same and refuse to do what her husband says. If the husband can have 4 wives then the wife can have 4 husbands.
If there are different rules for each person then what we have is an unequal relationship. To claim otherwise is to be a fool or a liar,
If I had to pick a reason, I'd say someone charging me with a knife or assaulting me is a good reason to defend myself. None of the stuff in the survey comes close, and I'd say I'd deserve a solid sock to the face if I was such a feral manlet enough to let that stuff provoke me instead of resolving it with dialogue or something?
I'm not even some burger bacha yaar. common sense. Are these the type of people who still think hitting children is good because it teaches them discipline/respect/whatever, instead of simply being a telling indicator of a lazy impatient unskilled parent.
@El Cid: Yes. All those women who claim to be victims of domestic violence are beating themselves up for the sympathy of others and to vilify angelic men.
@True Pakistani: Yeah and men taking the "lead" has really worked out well for the average Pakistani household. As long as women take the self loathing route and convince themselves their husbands are their leaders, this misogyny will continue. Granting either gender power over the other does not benefit anyone.
Stone-age savages. It is tragic how Pakistan has degenerated since the British went away.
another poll conducted reflects 100% of Pakistani women think the tribune is run by TMZ
The tribune should be ashamed to post this and pass it along as "journalism"!
Why isn't there a "it is not okay to hit your wife option" ?
The responses are all giving a justification for hitting your wife and respondants are asked to pick one. The survey question is not framed correctly.
Was 'Never' an option on the survery which the respondents could choose? If not, then it speaks volumes for the attitudes of the surveyors themselves!
Shame on them !!!
It's shocking to read that out of around 13,500 women, 34% approved of the concept of domestic violence so casually. So much for the feminist act. At the same time the results between men and women cannot be compared as too few men participated in the study. All i'm saying is that results of 13,500 should not be compared to a mere 3000.
What is an eye opener for me is the difference in scale between men and women. Women have voted in higher numbers than men for the same excuse/reason for beating them. Gives an indication of brainwashing of women since childhood to accept domestic abuse.
What are you trying to show by such surveys? Somebody has to take the lead in a household. In Islam both men and women are equal but with different roles. I am proud that our women have respect for themselves for following Allah's command to take care of the household and assist their husbands.
Well theres more to this report than you have presented here. You have put forward a very small section of the survey report. Perhaps you could have summarised other results, for example, has there been reduction in violence in last 12 months, or what are the demographics of the families where this kind of violence is common, or does the presence of children reduce the occurrence of violence, or are the husband inspired to commit violence by their fathers, or what is the role of education in reducing the violence etc.
at author: There's so much in the report for us to ponder upon. Its such a shame that you have chosen to discuss just a single point. News reports are supposed to inform and educate us of the things we don't know. They are not a tool for sensationalism.
'reasons for which it is justified for a husband to hit his wife' seriously? in any circumstances hitting your wife can not be justified.