According to a survey 59 per cent of women get beaten up on one pretext or the other. What is more surprising is that a large number of both men and women justify the practice of wife-beating.

The findings of the latest National Family Health Survey-III, covering the period 2005-2006 for India and 2006-2007 for Bihar say that 59 per cent of women in the state have been beaten by their husbands, Thirty-two per cent of women find such abuse justified provided the wife argues with her spouse, shows disrespect to her in-laws or is suspected of having an extra-marital relationship.
The findings said that 57 per cent adults in the age group of 15-49 believe it is justified for a husband to beat his wife under specific circumstances.
Himachal Pradesh has least number of wife-beaters, only six per cent. This is followed by Delhi, Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir. The figure in these states varies between 13 and 16 per cent.
Apart from Bihar, the track record of Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is very bad. The figure ranges between 40 and 46 per cent.
Though Kerala with highest literacy rate registered much fewer number of cases of wife beating neighbouring Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, both known for having a sizeable number of liberated women, have a very bad record. In contrast men of the hilly states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are decent enough and are behave well with their wives.
The empowerment of women through reservation in panchayat has not changed the scene much. Many women mukhiya are just functioning as proxy village head and are being forced by their husbands to do what they like.
In Bihar, according to the survey, physical, sexual and emotional violence against women cut across demographic categories. For example, 66 per cent of males in the lowest wealth index scales had perpetrated violence on their wives. But those in the highest wealth index were not far behind either––56 per cent are wife-beaters. The figure for middle income group stands at 55 per cent.
Against the general perception women of nuclear family are more prone to violence from husband. Their figure is 63 per cent.

Wife-beating is a punishable offence under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act of 2004.

Comment

comments...

The survey appears to be incomplete. The name of Maharashtra is missing altogether, where alcoholism and wife beating is inter-twined and where practice of wife beating is rampant and is a part of daily chores particularly in economically lower strata of their society.
SANJAY KUMAR
SILVASSA

-----------------------------

In light of the recent report on paid media and further revelation about clay-footed media-moghuls through Radia tapes, one would be better advised to take this frequent Bihar bashing, a favorite pastime of main stream media, with dollops of salt. It seems media these days have this inventory of unlimited data base on every issue and they can pull it off as and when required.
Exhaustive stats on arcane issues like wife-beating is not otherwise readily available. But then there is no accoutability these days so one can concoct anything.
Data on crime against women exists and yes Bihar is no where on the leader board it's state like Rajasthan that rule the roost on that count.

In nutshell as condemnable as the act llike a legislator being beaten by her gangster husband is one must check the temptation of generalization.

Anil Kumar

-----------------------------------------

In this age of media and image management, the source of this article needs to be analysed very thoroughly. Let us not forget, a very large number of people are feeling extremely threatened by the recent good performance of Bihar. They had psyched themselves to believe that Bihar will always be at the bottom. Now they are having this basic belief challenged. Hence we must not accept such reports as gospel truth.
I would certainly urge that we dont confuse this type of analysis with women emancipation, which is definitely needed.

Thakur Vikas Sinha