Women’s Attitudes towards Wife-beating among Currently Married Women in Zambia

Abstract

The present study examined factors associated with attitudes towards justification of wife-beating among currently married women in Zambia. This paper utilizes secondary data from the 2013 Zambia Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS). Logistic regression analysis was used to identify various factors associated with women’s attitude towards wife-beating. Results show that the youngest women were more likely to justify and endorse wife-beating as compared to older women. Results further showed that women’s attitude towards wife-beating is associated with those who had marital duration of 15 years or more (1.02–1.47; P<0.0299), being educated at higher level (1.68–1.86; p < 0.001), being poor (1.78–1.89; p < 0.001), working (1.39–1.69; p < 0.001) and working (1.08–1.31; p < 0.001). Results further indicate that women whose husbands drank alcohol were 1.2 times more likely to endorse wife-beating as justified in contrast to those women whose husbands never drank alcohol. It is, therefore, essential that variables that increase women’s access to resources and knowledge such as education, employment for cash and media exposure are emphasized so as to enable women realize their worth and full potential. This is very important as it is only through such empowerment issues that women are able to fully access other facilities like maternal healthcare services without fear. It is also recommended for various stakeholders to bring about sensitization programmes that would be based on intimate partner violence in societies and to couples. This will help in building the knowledge base and raise awareness on some of the cultural norms that influence wife-battering which may result in reduced violence in due course.