Domestic Violence and Women Autonomy: The Darkest Truth of Our Society

The present study was conducted to find out the current situation of domestic violence and women autonomy in northern Bangladesh. In this study we found socio-economic and demographic condition, abusive status and women autonomy of employed women in northern Bangladesh. A total of 160 employed women from different district of northern Bangladesh were selected through cluster sampling as a sample of this research. The results found that only 45.6% women maintain non abusive relationship with their husband. Whereas about 53.1% women were moderately abuse and 1.3% women was seriously abuse. This was a critical situation in terms of women violence. Result obtained that about 83.1% women take permission to go outside the residence, 76.9% women take permission to visit their relatives or friends, 38.8% women take permission to go the local health center and 45.0% women take permission to go the local market. That means their freedom of movement depends on their husband or family members. About in 11.9% families others decided about to do when a child falls sick. Only in 10.6% families women decided and 85.6% families both husband and wife decided about how much schooling to give to your children. Only in 46.6% family’s wife decided about what food to buy for family meals. The variable respondent's monthly income was found positively correlated with domestic violence scores. That means if women’s income increases, there violence status was decreases.