Socioeconomic Correlates and Gender Based Violence at the County Level: An Analysis of India’s Crime Statistics

• In Event: 4367 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: 3. Gender, Marriage, and Family

Abstract

According to India’s National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB, 2015), cases of rape and domestic violence are increasing and in total contribute to 45% of reported crimes against women. We analysed data from the 2011 Census and the National Crime Records Bureau on India’s 640 districts. We examine how district level measures of socio-environmental factors are associated with the prevalence of reports of IPV and NPSV by creating a unique dataset. The variables examined were sex ratio, caste, education, employment, household wealth, and religion and highlight the inter-district variability in socio-environmental factors. Multivariable regressions for IPV demonstrated that religion is an especially important predictor, districts with higher percentage of Muslims, Hindus, or Jains had higher rates of IPV. Examining socioeconomic factors we find that less advantage places have higher IPV and NPSV, as demonstrated by no household assets for both outcomes and scheduled caste for IPV. Based on our findings, we recommend vocational training for both men and women across all classes to improve economic stability, and encourage state officials to stand firmly against cultural and religious behaviours which can lead to IPV and NPSV in India.

Authors

• Pooja Seta, Barts and the London School of Medicine

• Elizabeth Helene Baker, University of Alabama at Birmingham

• Doreen Montag, Barts and the London School of Medicine

• Adrienne N. Milner