In Wife-Beating, Bihar Leads The Way

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Patna/ New Delhi: After long time Bihar once again came in to news for wrong reasons as there highest number of women having been beaten by their husbands. These are the findings of the latest National Family Health Survey-III, covering the period 2005-2006 for the entire country and 2006-2007 for Bihar.

http://www.news24online.com/In-wife-beating-Bihar-leads-the-way_News24_18993.aspx

Recently, a JD(U) MLA recently elected for the Bihar assembly was beaten up mercilessly by her husband. According to the survey, 59% of women in Bihar have been beaten by their husbands and 32% of women find such abuse justified if a woman argues with her spouse, shows disrespect to her in-laws or is suspected of having an extra-marital relationship.

Noted writer and journalist Aroon Kumar says that it is matter off great shame and shock that Bihar hubbies are number one in wife-beating. More than half the surveyed adults in the age group of 15-49 (57%) believe it is justified for a husband to beat his wife under specific circumstances.The survey found Himachal Pradesh, with 6%, reporting the least number of women being beaten by their husbands. Delhi, Kerala, J&K ranked among the `best` five states with the incidence of violence against wives ranging between 13% and 16%.

The `worst` states were Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, with the incidence ranging between 40% and 46%.

The survey found that in Bihar, the perpetration of physical, sexual and emotional violence against women cut across demographic categories.

If 66% of males in the lowest wealth index scales had perpetrated violence on their wives, those in the highest wealth index were not far behind at 56%. Wife beating in middle class homes stood at 55%. The survey found nuclear families were likely to record more widespread violence, with 63% women saying they were victims of domestic violence.