Abstract
This paper uses data from a community cross-sectional survey to examine the factors that are associated with justification of physical violence against women. Results indicate that respondents who were married at the time of the survey were less likely (OR = 0.29; CI = 0.17–0.52) to agree that it is justified for a man to physically assault his partner that their counterparts who were single. The likelihood to justify physical violence was less likely to happen among respondents with primary education (OR = 0.49; CI = 0.39–0.62), secondary education (OR = 0.40; CI = 0.31–0.53) and vocation or tertiary education (OR = 0.28; CI = 0.19–0.41) than among respondents with no education. Protestants were less likely (OR = 0.77; CI = 0.64–0.94) to justify physical violence than the Catholics. Respondents who were not formally employed were more likely (OR = 1.66; CI = 1.32–2.08) to justify physical violence than their counterparts who were in formal employment in the last three months preceding the survey. Respondents who agreed that it is okay for a man to control his partner’s movements (OR = 1.27; CI = 1.04–1.55), it is okay for a man to have sex with his wife anytime (OR = 2.28; CI = 1.87–2.78), alcohol is the main reason for violence against women (OR = 1.67; CI = 1.33–2.10), men need sex more than women (OR = 1.57; CI = 1.23–1.99) and women know where to obtain support in case of violence (OR = 1.42; CI = 1.00–2.02) were more likely to justify physical violence than respondents who disagreed. The likelihood to justify physical violence was less among respondents who agreed that: violence is not the only way to deal with disagreements (OR = 0.54; CI = 0.33–0.86), it is possible for men to stop violence (OR = 0.62; CI = 0.47–0.82) and it is acceptable for a woman to ask her partner to use a condom (OR = 0.61; CI = 0.51–0.73) than their counterparts who disagreed. There is need to increase investment in social norms change programmes in order to strengthen contestation of tolerance of physical violence among men and women in Uganda.
Highlights
Experience of physical violence is a human rights abuse issue with negative consequences [1]
Our findings show a positive relationship between education and contestation of violence—likelihood to justify physical violence was less likely among respondents with primary, secondary and tertiary education than those with no education [72]
Accepting attitudes and beliefs towards physical violence are pervasive and common in Uganda. These are sustained by the bedrock of harmful social norms that perpetuate physical violence against women
Summary
Experience of physical violence is a human rights abuse issue with negative consequences [1]. Physical violence includes beating, biting, kicking, slapping or strangling someone [3]. About a third (30%) of women have ever experienced a form of physical violence [4]. Experience of physical violence is reported to be highest in developing countries, including in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [5,6]. About 36% of women in SSA have experienced some form of intimate partner violence [6,7,8]. Women are disproportionately likely to experience physical intimate partner violence compared to men [9,10,11,12]. We define justification of physical violence as psychological or social processes based on context specific reasons such as social and gender norms that lead to a partner to view physical violence as normal [14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
