Six out of 10 men in India admit to having perpetrated violence against their wives or partners, with men who experienced discrimination as children or faced financial stresses more likely to be abusive, said a study released on Monday.
The report, by the United Nations World Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Washington-based International Center for Research on Women, polled 9,205 men, aged 18 to 49, across seven states to understand their views on masculinity, partner violence and son preference.
Violence was defined as emotional such as insults, intimidation and threats, or physical and sexual such as pushing, punching and rape. It also included economic abuse in which a man did not permit his wife or partner to work or took her earnings against her will.
“Many men in India act in a manner that is fairly predetermined by their gendered roles and expectations, socio-economic characteristics and childhood experiences,” said the ‘Masculinity, Intimate Partner Violence and Son Preference’ report.