Despite a nearly balanced gender ratio and the perception of higher autonomy among Assamese women, the state has witnessed a disturbing rise in spousal violence, surpassing national averages. This article investigates the evolving trends and determinants of spousal violence in Assam by analysing data from the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015–16) and NFHS-5 (2019–21) rounds. There is an urgent need for a multi-sectoral policy response through community engagement, institutional accountability, legal reforms, and expansion of helpline and counselling services.

Spousal violence against women represents one of the most pervasive and deeply rooted forms of gender-based violence globally (Mahjebeen 2019), undermining women’s human rights, dignity, and well-being. Defined by the World Health Organization as any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological, or sexual harm, spousal violence often remains hidden due to cultural, social, and legal barriers that normalise or excuse such behaviour (García-Moreno et al 2015). Across both developed and developing countries, women are disproportionately the victims of spousal violence, with global estimates indicating that approximately one in three women experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime (Devries et al 2013). The persistence of spousal violence is closely tied to entrenched patriarchal norms, power imbalances, and socio-economic inequalities. In South Asia, for instance, structural gender hierarchies and dowry practices exacerbate women’s vulnerabi­lity to domestic abuse (Koenig et al 2006; Schuler et al 2011). A multilevel analysis by Koenig et al (2006) in rural Uttar Pradesh found that economic pressures, including dowry-related expectations, significantly predicted higher rates of spousal abuse (Koenig et al 2006). Similarly, male entitlement, reinforced by traditional gender norms, plays a crucial role in perpetuating violence in intimate relationships (Jewkes 2002).

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