Spousal violence down 43% in Punjab, Haryana

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, May 11

Both Punjab and Haryana have posted major gains across most determinants of gender participation and vulnerability, as per the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-2021).

The proportion of married women aged 18 to 49 years reporting spousal violence in Punjab and Haryana fell by 43 per cent each between NFHS-4 (2015-2016) and the latest survey.

The percentage of married women experiencing physical violence during pregnancy in two states also dropped — by a whopping 67 per cent in Haryana over five years and 30 per cent in Punjab.

Nationally, 29.3 per cent of the married women said they were subjected to violence by husbands. This percentage is lower than the average for Punjab (11.6 per cent) and Haryana (18.2 per cent). The proportion of married women facing spousal violence in 2015-16 was 20.5 in Punjab and 32 per cent in Haryana.

Punjab and Haryana have also reported lower physical violence against women during pregnancy. While 3.1 per cent married women at pan-India level said they experienced physical violence during pregnancy, the proportion was lower — 1.6 per cent for Punjab and Haryana each.

The percentage of women reporting violence during pregnancy was 4.9 per cent in Haryana five years ago and 2.3 per cent in Punjab and has substantially dropped.

NFHS-5 further reveals rising levels of women’s participation in household matters in Punjab and Haryana, known for gender vulnerability and patriarchal values.

A very high percentage of married women in Punjab (91.4 per cent) and Haryana (87.5 per cent) said they participated in household decisions. Both states fared better than the national average of 88.7 per cent on this key indicator. They also improved their past record. In 2016, 90.2 per cent married women in Punjab and 78.7 per cent in Haryana reported having a say in household matters.

Where 78.6 per cent women nationally said they had a bank account which they used, 81.6 per cent women in Punjab and 73.6 per cent in Haryana said they operated bank accounts in their names.

Violence during pregnancy

While 3.1% married women at pan-India level said they experienced physical violence during pregnancy, the proportion was lower — 1.6% for Punjab and Haryana each

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