While going through Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India, report of National Family Health, Survey (NFHS-3),India,2005-06,International Institute, my suspicion was confirmed “Economic independence of women doesn't protect them from domestic violence.”
Ever since I remember, discussion at every forum on women empowerment revolves around economic independence of women. The arguments usually creates déjà vu, irrespective of the panel:
1. Economic independence ensures an equal status to women in household decisions and decisions pertaining to her life.
2. Economic independence gives a choice to a women to walk out of an abusive relationship.
I had suspected, for a very long time that either of the above are quite unlikely.The fear seems to be confirmed by the data provided in the above report though further study is required for conclusive evidence.
A. Economic independence ensures an equal status to women in household decisions and decisions pertaining to her life and life.
A glance at the table 8.1 of the above report “Percent distribution of men age 15-49 by current marital status, according to their opinion on whether, in a couple, a wife should have a greater, equal, or lesser say than her husband on specified decisions, according to decision, NFHS-3, India:”
What to do with the money the wife earns :62.5% say that women should have equal say against 13.8% who say they should have lesser say,21.7% say that women should have greater say.
The interesting point is that the money under discussion is the money earned by the women herself and 62.5%+13.8%= 76.3% either think that man should have equal or more say in the money their wife earns.
The above report says Sixty-eight percent of currently married women whose husbands have earnings have the main say (jointly or alone) in the use of their husband’s earnings (Figure 9.3 and Table 9.2). This proportion is much lower than the proportion of currently married men whose wives have earnings who have a main say in the use of their wive’s earnings (87%). Thus, overall, about one in three married women whose husbands have earnings have little control over how their husband’s earnings are used; by contrast, only about one in eight married men whose wives earn do not have a major say in how their wives earnings are used.
The proportion of women who have a main say in the use of their husband’s earnings varies somewhat between women who earn and women who do not: two-thirds of women with no earnings have a say in the use of their husband’s earnings, compared with almost three-fourths of women with earnings.
In Figure 9.1 of the above report, shows that 81% of currently married women age 15-49 who have earnings are involved mainly alone or jointly in decisions about the use of their earnings. While this proportion is high, it still shows that about one in five women with earnings do not have a major say in decisions about the use of their own earnings.Married men are more likely than married women to be involved in decisions about use of their own earnings (94%vs. 81%) and men are also more likely to have the main say alone in these decisions than women (28% vs. 24%).
Now, it is worth examining:
1. In the fig/table Table 9.1 Percentage of currently married women and currently married men age 15-49 employed for cash by whether they have the main say alone, jointly, or alone or jointly, in the use of their earnings,according to wealth and education, NFHS-3, India: Percentage of women with earnings, who make decisions about use of earnings alone or jointly are 80.9% ,Now, does this implies that 19.1% falls in the category where woman’s earning are used without her consultation by someone else?
2. What does “ jointly” means? Is it a cordial way to accept decisions of other?
Hence, it is still a topic of further study and speculation whether Economic independence ensures an equal status to women in household decisions and decisions pertaining to her life.
Secondly coming to, Economic independence gives a choice to a women to walk out of an abusive relationship. Theoretically this sounds very assuring, but let’s have a look at some facts stated in the above report.
“Prevalence of spousal violence is higher for women who are employed than women who are not; however, controlling for wealth and education, employment for cash is related positively only to emotional violence; it is unrelated to physical violence and is associated with lower odds of sexual violence (OR=0.85).”
Table 10.3 of above report, percentage of currently married women age 15-49 who have experienced spousal physical or sexual violence by employment status, earnings control ,and relative earnings, NFHS-3, India:
· Earns cash, has main say alone in earnings use and has experienced spousal violence = 48.5%
· Earns cash and has joint say in earnings use and has experienced spousal violence = 39.8%
· Earns cash, no main say in earnings use and has experienced spousal violence = 44.4%
Interestingly, the percentage of women who does not earn cash or not employed and has experienced spousal violence 43.1% and 32.0% only. The divorce rates in india donot corroborate the assumption the domestic violence with economically independent women converts in divorce. But definitely it needs further study to see if it results in separate household.
The sad part is, percentage of currently married women age 15-49 who have ever experienced spousal physical or sexual violence agree that wife beating is justified for specific reasons,is 40-43% on at least one reason. `This takes us to which at least what, I always thought the real culprit and only solution to issues related to gender: cultural change....(to be cont)
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