Measuring changes in women's empowerment and its relationship to intimate partner violence

ABSTRACT

This article uses survey data to examine changes over time in the relationship between women’s empowerment and intimate partner violence (IPV) in six Bangladeshi villages. Prior analyses using a limited set of empowerment indicators available in both 2002 and 2014 suggested a persistent positive association between empowerment and IPV. The article’s analysis, using an updated set of measures derived from extensive qualitative studies, suggests that empowerment may be shifting from a risk factor for IPV to a protective factor. The article discusses the methodological limitations posed by the shifting manifestations of empowerment and its social meanings within and across settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender and diversity
• Methods
• South Asia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Sidney Ruth Schuler works at the Social and Behavioral Health Sciences Division, FHI 360, Washington, DC, USA.

Samuel Field works at the Biostatistics Division, FHI 360, Durham, NC, USA.

Alissa Bernholc works at the Biostatistics Division, FHI 360, Durham, NC, USA.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by FHI 360: [Grant Number Catalyst Fund].