Sexual coercion within marriage and the risk of HIV

Mandar K. Mainkar, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Ravi K. Verma, Population Council

This paper tries to asses the women’s sexual behaviour within marriage and it’s associated risk to HIV. For a large number of respondents in the current study, the sexual relationship within marriage does not present a very positive experience. Very low proportion of women had the expected sexual intimacy with their husbands. A majority of women reported experiencing forced sex within marriage. They also report of having to perform sexual acts that they are not willing. In addition, many of them reported that they have been threatened to do sexual intercourse. It is not to suggest that women do not enjoy or prefer sex within marriage. The data from a slum community of Mumbai, India of (553 married women) and in-depth interview (28 cases) of the respondents shows that, the circumstances and the insensitive approach of men make a sexual encounter undesirable for women. It was clear from the in-depth interviews that often men demanded sex at inappropriate time and after getting drunk. Most women succumbed to sexual demand of husband in order to avoid violence and embarrassment to be exposed to community and other family members. Even the first night sexual experience was not reported to be very positive by a large number of women. The reporting of sexually intimate relationship with husband significantly varies according to their age, duration of marriage and type of marriage.