Polygyny and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Tanzania

Polygyny, a marriage in which a man has multiple wives, has been linked to numerous adverse health outcomes for women. However, the association between polygyny and IPV in Tanzania remains underexplored, and the available evidence is limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association between polygyny and IPV, and the relationship between co-wife rank and the number of co-wives and IPV. A nationally representative cross-sectional sample of married or partnered women (n = 3033) was used. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to the data. Results showed that 14.2% of women were in polygynous marriages. More than one-quarter (27.5%), nearly one-quarter (23.0%), and approximately one in ten (9.1%) reported experiencing physical, emotional, and sexual violence, respectively. Women in polygynous marriages were significantly more likely to experience physical violence (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI [1.30, 2.38]), emotional violence (AOR = 1.57, 95% CI [1.12, 2.18]), and sexual abuse (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI [1.07, 2.50]) than women in non-polygynous marriages. No significant association was found between co-wife rank or the number of co-wives and IPV. Nevertheless, our findings indicate that polygyny was associated with a higher likelihood of intimate partner violence among women in Tanzania.