Drivers of Intimate Partner Violence: Understanding from Pakistan
Nargis Asad*
Gender-based violence (GBV), specifically Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a major public health and human rights issue in Pakistan which requires due attention and substantial interventions. A study to understand IPV through a male lens was carried out by Aga Khan University, Centre of Excellence for Women and Child Health (CoE) and Working Group for Women (WGW) with funding from Oversees Development Institute supported through DFID South Asia. The study was designed with multiple objectives, one of them being to understand the multi-level drivers of male perpetration of IPV in Pakistan. Primary data was collected through qualitative interviews, including in-depth interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), intergenerational trios and key informant interviews (KIIs).

Key findings of the research related to drivers of violence and male perpetration of violence can be categorised into individual, family and community level and multi-level risk factors of IPV.
At the individual level, lack of education/lack of intelligence (shaoor) among men was seen as a major risk factor, while having education was found to be a risk factor for women. Important risk factors also included unemployment, poverty, early marriage and drug and alcohol abuse. Interestingly, the findings show that witnessing violence in the family or neighbourhood may result in normalising violence. Among household factors conflicts in relationship, not only within marriage but also with in-laws and extended families were drivers of violence. Other causes included joint family system /living with in-laws, household work, rigid gender norms, polygamy, economic constraints and stress. Various factors at the community level also contribute to violence which include rigid social norms and beliefs, norms around early and arranged marriage and deep-rooted patriarchal norms. To address IPV, engaging men, strengthening institutions and implementing policies surfaced as strong recommendations.

Reference
Karmaliani, R. Asad, N. Khan, K. Bawani, S., Ali, T. et al.  2017, ‘Understanding Intimate Partner Violence in Pakistan through a Male Lens’, London and Karachi: Overseas Development Institute and Aga Khan University.

* Dr Nargis Asad is Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Chair, Working Group for Women (WGW), Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. Her research interests include women mental health with an emphasis on intergenerational factors and adolescent mental health. She has been instrumental in initiating new clinical services with an emphasis on public education towards women’s well-being and children’s behavioural problems and protective role of adults.