The Baseline study was conducted in three states of India; Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra to assess the existing knowledge, attitudes and practices towards Domestic violence( DV) and stigma & discrimination towards HIV positive women. The total sample was 1200.

1. Do people recognize domestic violence and the different forms of it?
2. How informed are people about domestic violence laws, especially the PWDVA act of 2005?
3. Do women know what they can do when faced when domestic violence?
4. Are people aware that there is still a high degree of tolerance towards domestic violence?
5. What are the reasons’s for a woman’s inability to negotiate sexual relations?
6. What support systems do women require to seek help when faced with violence?
7. Do people practice safe sex?
8. Is there still a stigma in society associated with HIV?
9. What should the solutions to domestic violence be (as answered by the respondents of this survey)?
10. Do you know of anybody who has taken action against domestic violence?

1. Do people recognize domestic violence and the different forms of it?Back to top ↑

Although a large number of people have heard about DV yet very few were able to articulate what it actually is. Most understandings of domestic violence were limited to verbal or physical abuse by the family members. Conceptions of sexual abuse and financial subversion as forms of domestic violence were hardly recognized.

Among the respondents, 90% informed that they have heard about domestic violence (DV) with more men (9%3) found to be aware than the women (87%).

• While 45 % of the respondents could spontaneously define DV as abuse of any kind by family members, another 31% could define DV only after being probed.
• More than 80% respondents (who could define DV spontaneously or after probing) believe that verbal or physical abuse by the family members is the core concept of DV. Sexual abuse and economic deprivation was considered as forms of domestic violence by about 30 % of the women.

2. How informed are people about domestic violence laws, especially the PWDVA act of 2005?Back to top ↑

The knowledge of any law, which dealt with domestic violence, was around the Dowry Prevention Act. Very few people knew about the existence of PWDVA and its benefits.

• Around 25 % of the respondents said that they know about some law, which deals with domestic violence. Both men and women consider Dowry Prevention Act as an act that protects against domestic violence.
• Only 3.3% of the respondents over various locations reported to have heard about PWDV Act 2005.
• The study highlighted the lack of clarity about the benefits under the PWDAV Act 2005. Although respondents identified that under the law one can take legal action against the abuser the knowledge on ‘Right to safe shelter’ was almost nil.

3. Do women know what they can do when faced when domestic violence? Back to top ↑

The survey showed that seeking help from natal families, making their husband understand followed by filing a police complaint or FIR came out in top three things that women can do. However in terms of actual cases against violence, only 9% of complaints have been filed.

Table: What can women do and what will you do if faced violence

N: 1200

4. Are people aware that there is still a high degree of tolerance towards domestic violence?Back to top ↑

Despite lot of the basic awareness rising has been achieved on both domestic violence and HIV/AIDS, but a good deal remains to be done in shaping beliefs and practices. In terms of domestic violence, despite stated condemnation of it, there is still a fairly high degree of tolerance or acceptance of it among both males and females. For example a man can slap his wife(according to the following percentage of people)

• 56% -if she does something without her husband’s permission,
• 59%- if she refuses sex with him, and
• 81%- if he suspects her of being unfaithful

5. What are the reasons’s for a woman’s inability to negotiate sexual relations?Back to top ↑

In terms of women being able to negotiate sexual relations, the evidence is mixed. On the one hand, respondents say that women have the right to refuse sex by large margins, on the other they say men “can” take various measures in response – including sleeping with other women (42.9%), have forcible sex (34.7%) and stop providing financial support (29%).

Table : Situations where a wife can refuse to have sex with her husband (%)

Table : If a Woman refuses Sex the husband can (%)

6.What support systems do women require to seek help when faced with violence?Back to top ↑

The survey shows the importance of economic independence followed by community and natal support in order to seek help in case of domestic violence.

Table : Woman taking legal action against husband in case of domestic violence (%)

7.Do people practice safe sex?Back to top ↑

Although the survey shows presence of inter-spousal communication and high level of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS prevention yet there is limited knowledge on consistent use of condom for safer sex

• Sixty percent of married male respondents said their wife had asked them to use a condom, while 45% of women said they had asked their husbands, which indicated presence of communication among the partners
• Although 63 % of the respondents promptly referred to ‘condom use’ as a means for ‘safer sex’ only 10% percent could correctly identify ‘consistency in the use’ to be important for safer sex.

8.Is there still a stigma in society associated with HIV?Back to top ↑

The survey shows the presence of stigma & discrimination in terms of shame, blame and enacted stigma in the society.

9. What should the solutions to domestic violence be (as answered by the respondents of this survey)?Back to top ↑

Around 80% have mentioned that the community, family members should intervene if husband abuses his wife while rest said it is nobody’s business and the wife should remain silent.

Table: Domestic Violence (%)

10. Do you know of anybody who has taken action against domestic violence?Back to top ↑

The survey shows less then half (46%) of the respondents reported to come across the incidence of DV. Of them, less then three fourths (65%) have taken some action. However the action was restricted to counseling, speaking to both, speaking to aggressor and survivor individually.

Around 53 percent of those who came across incidence of domestic violence reported that even the community/community members has taken action to stop domestic violence against women in the community specially the village Pradhan counseled both the woman and the aggressor. In few cases some punitive action was also taken where the situation didn’t change after the counseling.

Learn more about the Bell Bajao baseline survey and the initial perceptions of domestic violence and the PWDVA in India. Breakthrough emphasizes monitoring and evaluation in understanding the impact of our campaigns. We will also conduct an endline assessment to evaluate the impact of our campaign. Click here to read more.