Intersectional inequalities in younger womens experiences of physical intimate partner violence across communities in Bangladesh

Background Physical intimate partner violence (IPV) risk looms large for younger women in Bangladesh. We are, however, yet to know the association between their intersectional social locations and IPV across communities. Drawing on intersectionality theorys tenet that interacting systems of power, oppressions, and privileges work together, we hypothesized that (1) younger, lower educated or poor womens physical IPV experiences will be exacerbated in disadvantaged communities; and conversely, (2) younger, higher educated or nonpoor womens physical IPV experiences will be ameliorated in advantaged communities. Methods We applied intercategorical intersectionality analyses using multilevel logistic regression models in 15,421 currently married women across 911 communities from a national, cross-sectional survey in 2015. To test the hypotheses, womens probabilities of currently experiencing physical IPV among intersectional social groups were compared. These comparisons were made, at first, within each type of disadvantaged (e.g., younger or poor) and advantaged (e.g., older or nonpoor) communities; and then, between different types of communities. Results While our specific hypotheses were not supported, we found significant within community differences, suggesting that younger, lower educated or poor women were bearing the brunt of IPV in almost every community (probabilities ranged from 34.0-37.1%). Younger, poor compared to older, nonpoor women had significantly higher IPV probabilities (the minimum difference = 12.7, 95% CI, 2.8, 22.6) in all communities. Similar trend was observed between younger, lower educated compared to older, higher educated women in all except communities that were poor. Interestingly, younger womens advantage of higher education and material resources compared to their lower educated or poor counterparts was observed only in advantaged communities. However, these within community differences did not vary between disadvantaged and advantaged communities (difference-in-differences ranged from - 0.9%, (95% CI, - 8.5, 6.7) to - 8.6%, (95% CI, - 17.6, 0.5). Conclusions Using intersectionality theory made visible the IPV precarity of younger, lower educated or poor women across communities. Future research might examine the structures and processes that put them at these precarious locations to ameliorate their socio-economic-educational inequalities and reduce IPV in all communities. For testing hypotheses using intersectionality theory, this study might advance scholarship on physical IPV in Bangladesh and quantitative intersectionality globally.Funding Agencies|Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship by the Institute of Gender and Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchCanadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); Atkinson Foundation; Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Chair in Womens Brain Health and Aging (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Chair in Womens Brain Health and Aging (Ontario Brian Institute); Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Chair in Womens Brain Health and Aging (Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Fund)