49% of women in J&K justify husbands beating wives: NHF Survey

Believe it or not, 49% of women in J&K justify husbands beating their wives, according to the recent National Family Health Survey (NHFS).

The Union Territory is among the states/UTs where a large number of women justified men beating their wives.

Over 30 per cent of women from 14 of the 18 states and Union Territories that were surveyed justify men beating their wives under certain circumstances, while a lesser percentage of men rationalised such behaviour, according to the recent National Family Health Survey (NHFS).

According to NHFS-5, over 75 per cent of women justified men beating their wives in three states — Telangana (84 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (84 per cent) and Karnataka (77 per cent).

Manipur (66 per cent), Kerala (52 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (49 per cent), Maharashtra (44 per cent) and West Bengal (42 per cent) were the other states and Union Territory where a large number of women justified men beating their wives. To a question by the NFHS, “In your opinion, is a husband justified in hitting or beating his wife…?”, over 30 per cent of women from as many as 14 states and Union Territories said, “yes”.

The most common reasons given to justify beating were neglecting the house or children and showing disrespect to in-laws.