International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research

Authors
Dr. CP Prakasam

Abstract
Violence against women mostly perpetrates by men. To know men’s (husband) attitudes and behavior towards sexual and domestic violence against women (wife) in selected states viz: Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and to understand the factors contributing to such attitude and behaviour, data were derived from a large survey (National Family Health survey-4) from married men living with their wife. Attitude towards sexual violence has been measured whether wife was justified in refusing sex with her husband in three reasons, and domestic violence by asking the reasons for beating wife for not performing household works. It has been observed that 23 percent of men in Karnataka and least in Bihar (14.9 percent) expressed that they disagree that wife is not justified in refuses sexual intercourse when husband demands. Half of men respondents in Andhra Pradesh expressed that wife beating are justified for neglecting domestic activities and least in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Violent attitude found to be more among illiterate men, men not working, belong to poor strata than their counter part in Bihar. Urban men, belong to Muslim community more likely feel that it is their right to beat wife in Andhra Pradesh, where as urban male, belong to poor middle wealth index have more violent attitude in Karnataka.