Endorsement of Spousal Sexual Violence Across Gender: Evidence from Zambia Demographic and Health Survey

Abstract

Spousal sexual violence (SSV) constitutes a pressing public health and human rights crisis, exerting detrimental impacts on women's well-being and imposing significant social and economic costs on their lives. This study aimed to ascertain the comprehensive prevalence of SSV endorsement and investigate the factors associated with such endorsement among both men and women in Zambia. The 2013-2014 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) served as the dataset for this study. Employing chi-square tests and two multiple logistic regression analyses stratified by gender, the research revealed that 36.6% of women and 11.5% of men endorsed SSV. Regression results highlighted significant associations between SSV endorsement and variables such as resident type, marital status, education level, and frequency of reading newspapers/magazines, cutting across genders. Among women, employment, religion, and frequency of listening to/watching television also emerged as significant factors. Conversely, wealth status and alcohol consumption significantly correlated with SSV endorsement exclusively among men in Zambia. Recognizing the potential of media platforms to shape attitudes, the study recommends leveraging them to disseminate messages discouraging SSV endorsement. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the necessity of involving multiple stakeholders, including religious leaders, traditional leaders, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to address cultural norms promoting SSV endorsement. The implementation of policies regulating gender-based violence and alcohol becomes imperative in diminishing both the prevalence and tolerance of SSV in Zambia. Finally, this study recommends that future research endeavors delve into men's perspectives on understanding SSV beyond the conventional focus on women victims in Zambia. Keywords: Endorsement, spousal sexual violence, intimate partner violence, gender, media, alcohol, factors, Zambia.