Nagashree Ravi Rao views intimate violence as both a health problem and human rights issue.
Currently pursuing an MPH in epidemiology at USF’s College of Public Health (COPH), Rao recently gave a presentation on the subject at the University of South Carolina Women’s and Gender Studies Conference in Columbia. She focused on a particularly troubling region of the world in her paper, “Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence Against Married Women in India: A Path Analysis Approach for Categorical Variables.”
“From a public health perspective, intimate violence has far too many consequences for physical and mental health, which affects not only the individual but also the people around them,’’ Rao said. “And at the same time, it's a violation of human rights. Experiencing abuse in their own homes strips these people of their security and freedom. So, by framing it as both public health and human rights issue we can address broader systematic inequalities.’’
Rao’s thesis won the Best Graduate Paper Award from the University of South Carolina and describes intimate partner violence (IPV) against married women in India, using data from a National Family and Health Survey. Rao identifies both direct and indirect factors contributing to this form of violence through what she calls logistic regression and path analysis. This helped shed light on the dynamics of IPV and its implications in the world’s most populated country.
(Photo courtesy of Ravi Rao)
“IPV is a widespread issue affecting the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities worldwide,’’ Rao said. “In India, where cultural norms and societal structures can sometimes perpetuate such violence, understanding the predictors of IPV is crucial.’’
Rao, 29, contends that IPV affects women's mental and physical health and can lead to long-term problems like anxiety, depression and even chronic illnesses. “It doesn’t just impact the individual but can have a ripple effect on families and society as a whole.’’
As Rao began research for her thesis, she was surprised by the statistics on violence. About one-in-five married women in India reported experiencing domestic violence, while globally, the numbers are even more staggering: about 30 percent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“That means almost 30 out of every 100 women have gone through some form of violence,’’ she said. “This was such an eye-opener for me that I decided to investigate it further, and that’s how this research was developed. I was both surprised and concerned. I felt like I needed to dig deeper into why this happens and what factors might make women more vulnerable.’’
(Photo courtesy of Ravi Rao)
Rao focused on India for her study because of its sizeable population – 1.4 billion people – more than any other country. That number surpassed China in 2023.
India allowed her to work with numbers on a large scale, include data on 47,000 couples. She applied the statistical method of logistic regression to study factors such as education or drug abuse that might be linked to a higher chance of experiencing violence. “It helps us find patterns in the data to see what might be increasing the risk,’’ she added.
Although previous studies have been done on IPV in India, Rao hopes her work will be an important addition to ongoing research.
“What makes this study unique is that I conducted a systematic literature review and incorporated a broader range of risk factors,’’ she said. “A lot of previous studies focus on just a few things like alcohol use or income level, but I wanted to cover everything to get a clearer picture of what’s happening.”
“I hope my research will help shape better programs and policies to prevent IPV. By showing which factors are linked to higher risks, we can create more targeted interventions to protect women and help reduce violence.’’
Facts about intimate partner violence, according to WHO:
- Violence against women is a major public health problem and a violation of women's human rights.
- Estimates published by WHO indicate that globally about 30 percent of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
- Violence can negatively affect women’s physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health, and may increase the risk of acquiring HIV in some settings.
- Violence against women is preventable. The health sector has an important role to play to provide comprehensive health care to women subjected to violence, and as an entry point for referring women to other support services they may need.