37 percent of married women in Telangana face spousal violence; alcohol abuse major trigger

NFHS-5 data reveals that 37 percent of married women in Telangana face spousal violence, with alcohol abuse emerging as a major trigger. Despite high prevalence, most victims do not seek institutional help, highlighting deep-rooted social acceptance and systemic gaps.

Hyderabad: Despite rising literacy rates and rapid urbanisation, Telangana is grappling with a dark reality of spousal violence behind closed doors. About 37 percent of married women in Telangana have faced physical or sexual violence at the hands of their husbands, with alcohol abuse being the dominant factor.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) Telangana data, spousal violence is 23 percent in households where husbands do not consume alcohol. However, the figure nearly triples to 70 percent when the husband gets drunk often. About 44 percent of women in households where husbands drink occasionally report that they have experienced violence.

---

The NFHS data also highlights the nature of violence that married women in Telangana have to endure at the hands of their husbands. About 37 percent of married women have experienced physical spousal violence, while 5 percent said that they have experienced sexual violence.

The most common form of physical aggression towards women by their husbands is slapping, at 31 percent, followed by punching and twisting of arms. About 28 percent of women who experienced such violence reported sustaining physical injuries, the NFHS data indicated.

Quite strangely, the data also reflects a major challenge that law enforcement agencies and even voluntary organisations involved in preventing such abuse have to face. The NFHS data has indicated that 84 percent of women in Telangana believe a husband is justified in hitting his wife for reasons such as neglecting the house or showing disrespect to in-laws. The acceptance of domestic violence often prevents women from seeking help, with 71 percent of survivors never telling anyone about the abuse.

Despite the high prevalence, the legal and social safety nets like police and Women’s Commission remain largely untouched by those in need. Only 8 percent of victims in Telangana have ever approached the police. About 21 percent of the women who have experienced abuse turn to their own family members for help rather than seeking help from institutions such as the police and Human Rights Commission.

In a way, senior public health officials in Hyderabad pointed out that the hesitation to approach institutions for support reflects a trust deficit among the victims.

The NFHS-5 also points towards an intergenerational cycle of trauma. Women whose mothers were beaten by their fathers are significantly more likely to experience spousal violence themselves, suggesting that the normalisation of domestic abuse is being passed down through generations.

Spousal violence in Telangana:

• 70 percent of women in Telangana are more likely to experience spousal violence if the husband gets drunk often
• 24 percent of women with at least 12 years of schooling have experienced spousal violence
• 46 percent of women in rural areas have experienced spousal violence
• 29 percent of women in urban regions of TS have experienced spousal violence
• 71 percent of divorced, separated or deserted women face abuse in Telangana
• 37 percent of married women experience spousal violence
• Only 21 percent of women (1-49 years) who are victims seek help
• Family still remains the main source of support for women
• Only 8 percent of victims seek help from police
• A total of 27,518 women from across Telangana were part of the NFHS study