Gender-Based Violence: A Qualitative Exploration of Norms, Experiences and Positive Deviance

"...[M]any women and some positive deviant men recognise the injustice and unacceptability of violence against women even in this traditional patriarchal setting, and their perceptions reiterate that programmes intended to change norms and practices relating to violence against women and girls may indeed be effective."

This report presents the findings of formative research in the district of Patna, Bihar State, India, that aimed to better understand the context of violence - physical, emotional, and sexual - against women and girls, with a focus on understanding the prevailing norms about men's entitlement and women's acquiescence to violence. From the Population Council, the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), India, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and UK [United Kingdom] Aid, the study had 3 components:

1. focus group discussions (FGD) with unmarried youth aged 15-24 and with married women and men aged 15-50;
2. a short survey of: (i) all the female FGD participants in order to help identify husbands who perpetrated marital violence and obtain their consent for contacting their husbands; and (ii) available husbands from among those contacted; and
3. in-depth interviews with selected husbands identified by the married female FGD participants as violent and nonviolent.

The report is divided into 10 chapters, including the introductory chapter. Chapter 2 sets the stage, highlighting the gender norms prevailing in the study settings from the perspectives of unmarried and married study participants. Chapter 3 focuses on norms relating to violence against women and girls in particular. It explores how study participants define violence against women and girls and their perceptions of the limits of acceptable violence. Chapter 4 focuses on the unmarried in terms of their perceptions of the experiences of violence among girls, including the nature of violence experienced and responses to such experiences. Chapters 5-7 focus on married women and men. Chapter 5 describes participants' perceptions of the experiences of women with regard to physical, sexual, and emotional violence, including likely scenarios, and perceptions of likely factors precipitating violence against women. Chapter 6 describes the perceptions of the married about violence perpetrated on married women by other members of the husband's family, and Chapter 7 presents their perceptions of the responses of women who suffer violence, as well as the extent and nature of support received from their marital and natal families, the community, and the authorities from whom help is sought.

Chapter 8 focuses on insights from FGDs among the unmarried and the married with regard to the characteristics of a positive deviant - that is, a nonviolent boyfriend (in the case of the unmarried) and a nonviolent husband (in the case of the married). The study found that, while violent and nonviolent husbands reported similar characteristics, positive deviant husbands displayed certain unique characteristics. For example, despite the fact that both groups had grown up in families that imposed more restrictions on girls than boys, nonviolent husbands were "considerably more likely than their violent counterparts to report that their sisters had as much freedom as they did to express themselves and participate in household matters. Nonviolent husbands were also less likely to report peer pressure while growing up than did violent husbands, and were mildly less likely to have experienced violence as a form of discipline while growing up. In terms of social networks and participation in community violence, nonviolent husbands appeared to have a larger peer network than violent husbands, and their interactions with their peers were less likely to include alcohol consumption. They were also less likely to be involved in physical fights in their communities than were violent husbands....Gender role attitudes of violent and nonviolent husbands were also noticeable, with violent husbands far more likely than nonviolent men to display unequal gender attitudes including perceptions of whether a woman should have equal rights as a man, perceptions of a 'real' man and a 'real' woman, and perceptions of the acceptability of marital violence....Also distinguishing nonviolent husbands was the value they placed on peace and marital harmony, their perceptions of their role as nonviolent men and the respect that their nonviolent status commanded in their communities....FGDs also suggested that nonviolent husbands were more likely than violent husbands to display maturity and intelligence, were more educated, held deeper bonds of affection with their wife and were more likely than violent men to communicate with ('explain' to) their wife. Notably, both unmarried girls and boys also perceived positive deviants (boys who never perpetrate violence against their girlfriend) as educated, intelligent, understanding and loving, and, more specifically, those who did not consume alcohol."

Chapter 9 summarises the awareness of unmarried and married women and men regarding existing programmes to address violence against women and girls and their recommendations regarding the contours of programmes to reduce such violence in their communities. Sample finding: "In all the FGDs, participants recommended the implementation of programmes that change norms that condone violence against women and girls, and sensitise communities to acknowledge that committing violence against women and girls is wrong. Although most participants suggested that such programmes be directed at men and husbands, others suggested that women and girls must be sensitised as well." For instance, in 2 FGDs with married men, more specific suggestions were made such as to build a women's group and to change attitudes using drama.

Chapter 10 summarises the main findings of this study and highlights lessons for implementing interventions to address violence against women and girls. Suggestions include:

• Prevent violence by: (i) making efforts to empower women by breaking their social isolation and offering economic opportunities; (ii) implementing programmes for men and women that challenge traditional norms of masculinity and femininity; (iii) addressing alcohol misuse among men; (iv) building life skills among adolescent girls and boys that develop agency and foster egalitarian gender norms from an early age; and (v) encouraging parents to socialise their daughters and sons in gender egalitarian ways.
• Provide care and support to women and girls who experience violence, who are found here to rarely be inclined to seek help from formal institutions and so instead "typically suffer the violence in silence, sometimes inform a friend or neighbour or friend, and, in the case of married women, if the violence is unbearable, try to end their life." Strategies might include: (i) identifying, screening, and counselling women at risk of violence; and (ii) publicising and strengthening help facilities.

"We conclude that a number of multipronged programmatic actions are required among young and adult populations, both women and men, as well as in schools, at health care facilities and among other service providers who work to eliminate violence against women and girls."