Bentley, Abigail Bose; (2020) “Beyond Black and Blue” Intimate Partner Violence as a form of Family Violence Against Women and Common Mental Disorders in Mumbai informal settlements. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

The thesis investigates family violence against women living in informal settlements in Mumbai, and its associations with mental health. Globally and in India, a third of women experience violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, an estimate that would be higher if it accounted for other perpetrators within the family. The thesis includes qualitative and quantitative studies. The quantitative study was a survey of 482 women that investigated violence in detail, including its types, perpetrators, and timescales. Symptoms of common mental disorders were assessed with the General Health Questionnaire-12 and levels of self-esteem with the Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaire. Associations were explored through multivariable linear and ordinal logistic regression, adjusted for socio-demographic covariates. The qualitative study included semi-structured individual interviews and focus group discussions with 33 women, exploring narratives of violence, responses, coping, and resilience. Analysis took a Framework approach. The prevalence of violence was high - 44% over a lifetime - but in line with other national surveys. More women reported emotional violence than other forms. In-laws were the main perpetrators of emotional and economic violence, and husbands of physical and sexual violence. Emotional violence showed the strongest positive association with symptoms of common mental disorders and lower self-esteem. In the qualitative study, women described patterns of violence that often included the marital family as perpetrators. Responses to violence included feelings, thoughts, and behaviours ranging between active and passive. Women described a ceiling of tolerance that influenced their responses to violence and was informed by their context and previous experiences. The thesis adds to the current literature by exploring violence in detail and combining survey data with women’s narratives. It highlights the need to further investigate family violence and emotional violence, particularly in other South Asian settings where patterns of patrilocal residence and joint families are common.

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