Original Research Domestic violence in Eastern India: Factors associated with victimization and perpetration B.V. Babu a,b, *, S.K. Kar a a Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Bhubaneswar 751 023, Orissa, India b Social and Behavioural Research Unit, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi 110 029, India article info Article history: Received 23 July 2009 Received in revised form 17 December 2009 Accepted 27 January 2010 Available online 12 March 2010 Keywords: Domestic violence Ecological framework Community based Gender Risk factors India summary Objectives: To examine the factors associated with victimization and perpetration of domestic violence in Eastern India. Study design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Methods: Married women (n ¼ 1718) and men (n ¼ 1715) from three Eastern Indian states were included in this study. Univariate and multiple logistic regression models were used to identify the determinants of domestic violence. Results: Age, education, occupation, marital duration and husband’s alcoholism emerged as significant predictors of victimization and perpetration of all types of domestic violence. A higher level of family income was found to be highly protective against the risk of violence. In addition, other risk and protective factors for victimization and perpetration of each type of violence were identified. Conclusions: This study contributes to the violence literature by shedding light on the risk factors of perpetration and victimization of domestic violence. These results provide vital information to develop interventions, as well as policies and programmes towards preventing violence. Also, this knowledge facilitates healthcare personnel to intervene more effectively with women at risk of violence-related health problems. ª 2010 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction A growing body of research suggests that violence against women is a common occurrence worldwide, 1,2 and has substantial consequences for women’s physical, mental and reproductive health. 3,4 India includes several communities which are distinct in their geography, language and culture. Estimates of the prevalence of domestic violence within India vary widely from 18% to 70%, with differences in study methodology. 5–12 A closer scrutiny of these rates reveals that domestic violence is a country-wide phenomenon with some variations between states, as these states differ from each other in overall socio-economic development and women’s status. 13,14 Widespread prevalence of domestic violence is a reflection of deep-rooted gender inequalities that persist across India. Heise argued that violence is an extension of a continuum of beliefs that grants men the right to control women’s behaviour. 15 Also, she proposed an ecological framework suggesting that violence arises from interplay between * Corresponding author at: Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110 029, India. Tel.: þ91 11 26172832. E-mail address: babubontha@gmail.com (B.V. Babu). available at www.sciencedirect.com Public Health journal homepage: www.elsevierhealth.com/journals/pubh public health 124 (2010) 136–148 0033-3506/$ – see front matter ª 2010 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2010.01.014