Sexual assault to physical violence: Over 9.6 % of J&K women experienced domestic abuse last year

Srinagar:  More than nine percent of women between 18 and 49 years of age experienced domestic violence in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019-20, National Family Health Survey (NFHS) has revealed.

Conducted by the union ministry of health, NFHS has revealed shocking facts about the domestic abuse of women in J&K.

As per the survey, a total of 9.6 percent of the women between 18 and 49 years of age were subjected to domestic violence in J&K during 2019-20.

Five years ago, 9.4 percent of women were victims of domestic violence in J&K. Interestingly Jammu and Kashmir was then a state with Ladakh one of its divisions.

The survey has found the domestic abuse is more rampant in rural areas than urban localities. Around 11.0 percent of rural women between 18  and 49 years of age have witnessed domestic violence. In urban areas, 5.9 percent of women have been victims of domestic violence last year.

As many as 1.2 percent of women have witnessed physical violence during the time of pregnancy.  Of them, 0.3 percent of women are living in urban areas and 5.0 percent in rural areas.

The survey has also highlighted that there has been a rise in sexual violence of the young women in J&K last year.

Against 3.1 percent in 2015-16, 4.0 percent of young women between 18 and 29 of age have experienced sexual violence in J&K last year.

Gender-based violence has been on the rise in the country.  Of the total 4.05 lakh crimes against women, nearly 1.26 lakh (over 30%) are related to domestic violence.

Last year, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed as many as 3069 cases of crime against women including rapes, molestation, and domestic violence.

Besides domestic violence, the survey has found that women empowerment has declined in Jammu and Kashmir.

Against 84 percent in 2015-16, nearly 81.6 percent of the women have been found actively participating in at least three household decisions.

The survey found that only 57.3 percent of the women own property including land or house.

National Family Health Survey is a nationally representative household survey that covers over 400,000 households, asking questions around marriage, fertility, vaccinations, and health status, among others.