Do structural inequalities contribute to marital violence? Ethnographic evidence from rural South India
Krishnan, S.
Violence Against Women 11(6): 759-775
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 1077-8012 PMID: 16043570 DOI: 10.1177/1077801205276078Document Number: 254368
Ethnographic research was conducted in rural communities in Karnataka State, South India, to explore the contexts in which marital violence occurs and the relationships between structural inequalities (gender, caste, and class inequalities) and marital violence. Research highlighted that (a) marital violence is intimately linked to experiences of gender, caste, and class inequalities; (b) women's ability to resist violence hinges on access to economic and social resources; and (c) health care providers need to be actively involved in responding to violence. This study demonstrates the urgent need for violence prevention initiatives, particularly those that address the contribution of structural inequalities.