The Role of Gender Norms on Intimate Partner Violence Among Newly Married Adolescent Girls and Young Women in India: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis
Outcomes: Gender‑Based Violence
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways This study reveals a counterintuitive association between community-level gender norms and intimate partner violence (IPV) among newly married adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in India. Researchers used two proxy measures of social norms: (1) a community-level equitable gender attitudes index—based on AGYW’s agreement with five statements about gender roles (e.g., girls’ education, household decision-making), and (2) a community-level decision-making power index—based on who in the household decides on key issues like education, purchases, and work. These indices were aggregated at the community level. Surprisingly, more equitable gender attitudes were associated with increased odds of frequent physical IPV. This suggests a potential backlash effect, where shifting norms may provoke resistance as men attempt to reassert control. No associations were found with sexual IPV. These findings highlight the need for context-specific, violence-type-specific interventions and improved social norms measurement that includes male perspectives and captures both injunctive and descriptive norms.
Objectives To assess how community-level gender norms relate to the intensity of physical IPV and the occurrence of sexual IPV over time among newly married AGYW in India.
Methods Using longitudinal data from the UDAYA study in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (n=3,965), researchers conducted mixed-effects ordinal and binary logistic regression analyses. Community-level gender norms were derived by aggregating individual responses (excluding the index individual) on gender role attitudes and household decision-making.
Results A one-unit increase in community-level equitable gender attitudes was associated with a 26% increase in the odds of frequent physical IPV. No significant associations were found between either social norms measure and recent sexual IPV. Other predictors of physical IPV included paid work, having more education than one’s husband, and having given birth.
Conclusions Community-level improvements in gender attitudes do not uniformly reduce IPV and may increase risk in the short term, aligning with theories of male backlash. The relationship between norms and IPV varies by violence type, underscoring the need for differentiated strategies. Developing stronger, gender-inclusive, and theory-driven measures of social norms is critical to understanding and addressing IPV in restrictive gender contexts.
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