IMPACT OF MASS MEDIA & ICT ON PARTRIARCHAL BELIEFS: ATTITUDES TOWARDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN CURRENTLY MARRIED WOMEN INPUNJAB: ANALYSIS USING MICS 2017-2018 DATA

Abstract

Pakistan’s patriarchal backdrop sets up the perfect stage for an atrocious act such a domestic violence. Domestic violence also known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious challenge for human development all over the world. It is just as prevalent in Pakistan. According to a 2018 survey carried out by Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) Pakistan ranked as the sixth most dangerous country for women, ranking fifth when it came to non-sexual violence including domestic abuse. In countries like Pakistan, it may even be deemed acceptable by a large portion of both men and women due to their patriarchal beliefs. This study therefore investigates what factors, namely mass media & ICT, have an impact on the patriarchal beliefs of women i.e., the acceptance of domestic violence by women. For the purpose of research this study has made use of logistics regression analyses on a sample of 15,269 currently married women respondents from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Punjab (MICS), 2017-18. The results show that increasing wealth status, education attainment, urbanization, and access to media and ICT, is associated with decreased odds of justifying domestic violence. Additionally, factors such as awareness/receiving of social transfers and happiness also have a significant impact. The results indicate that in order to empower women and tackle patriarchal beliefs policies need to promote regular usage of Mass Media and ICT within their framework through various means.