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CodeSG.VAW.REFU.ZS
Indicator NameWomen who believe a husband is justified in beating his wife when she refuses sex with him (%)
Short definitionPercentage of women ages 15-49 who believe a husband/partner is justified in hitting or beating his wife/partner when she refuses sex with him.
Long definitionPercentage of women ages 15-49 who believe a husband/partner is justified in hitting or beating his wife/partner when she refuses sex with him.
SourceDemographic and Health Surveys (DHS), DHS Program (ICF), uri: https://api.dhsprogram.com/#/index.html, note: Indicator code from the original source: WE_AWBT_W_REF; Indicator name from the original source: Wife beating justified if she refuses to have sex with him [Women], publisher: The DHS Program (ICF), type: API, date accessed: 2023-02-10
TopicGender: Health
DatasetWDI
Unit of measure% of women ages 15-49
PeriodicityAnnual
Reference period1999-2023
Statistical concept and methodologyMethodology: This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of women ages 15-49 who agree that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife when she burns the food by total number of women ages 15-49 who have been interviewed. The data for this indicator are sourced from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). Statistical concept(s): This indicator is one of the sets of attitude questions concerning justifications of a husband beating his wife in Demographic and Health Surveys. These questions aim to understand women's perspectives on gender equality. Acceptance of wife beating indicates an underlying acceptance of a lower status for women.
Development relevanceThe collection of this data is crucial for assessing the degree to which women possess the empowerment necessary to exert control over their own actions, bodies, and sexual autonomy. Societal attitudes that condone the physical abuse of wives by their husbands reflect a diminished status of women and contribute to their disempowerment within domestic and intimate relationships. The empowerment and autonomy of women are vital to achieving sustainable development goals, with the elimination of violence against women being a specific target outlined in SDG 5.2. Furthermore, a woman's autonomy can affect the health of household members and the educational attainment of children.
Other notesSupportive attitudes should not automatically be seen as approval of wife-beating, nor do they mean that a woman or girl will inevitably become a victim of domestic violence. Instead, these attitudes should be viewed as reflecting the level of social acceptance of such practices. This acceptance can be shaped by the belief that women and girls hold a lower status in society compared to men and boys, or by the expectation that they should adhere to specific gender roles.
License URLhttps://datacatalog.worldbank.org/public-licenses#cc-by
License TypeCC BY-4.0
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