Mediators of Physical and/or Emotional Violence Against Married Woman by Intimate Partner: Evidence from a National Survey in India

Although many studies have explored the etiological factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in women, very few studies have attempted to identify the mediators and direct factors associated with IPV. Since physical and emotional violence are the most common acts of IPV, this study aimed to identify the mediators and direct socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with physical and/or emotional violence among married women in India. Data from the National Family Health Survey-5 conducted during 2019–2021 in all districts of India were used. Information on the experience of physical and/or emotional violence, and various socioeconomic and demographic factors from 62,381 married women was used for the analysis. Poisson regression with robust sandwich variance was used to obtain unbiased estimates of adjusted prevalence ratios and the corresponding standard errors. A hypothetical model was developed based on the causal relationship between the variables. The path coefficients and corresponding standard errors were estimated using ordinal probit regression with the diagonally weighted least squares method of estimation based on a polychoric correlation matrix. Wealth index and women’s house ownership were the mediators for the association between physical and/or emotional violence and education level of women as well as husband’s alcohol usage. Religion and history of domestic violence in parents have only direct effects.