Social Determinants of Married Women’s Attitudinal Acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence

Informed by the social determinants of health (SDH) framework, this study examined whether women’s attitudinal acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV) varies according to material circumstances, such as characteristics of their communities. Data were obtained from the sixth Bangladesh Demographic Health Surveys (BDHS) of 2011, a cross-sectional and secondary population-based study that covers the entire population residing in noninstitutional dwelling units in Bangladesh. The sample included 16,480 married women living in 600 communities who were 15 to 49 years old. Results showed that community characteristics were significantly associated with married women’s attitudes toward IPV. The associations, however, were considerably more complicated than previously thought. Community poverty and wife beating justification were inversely related, such that regardless of their socioeconomic status (SES), living in poorer communities increased women’s likelihood of condemning IPV (p < .001). Also, unexpectedly, as illiteracy increased in the community, women’s likelihood of viewing IPV as justified decreased (p < .01). Living in communities with strong patriarchal norms was associated with greater tolerance for IPV (p < .001). Use of the SDH framework in this study provided empirical evidence of the importance of social determinants in determining risk for attitudinal acceptance of IPV among women, which can be targeted for future research and intervention.