The Linkages Between Witnessing and Experiencing Violence in Private and Public Spaces and Violence-Related Attitudes and Behaviours Among Adolescent Boys: Evidence From a Prospective Study in Rural Bihar, India

Sharmistha Basu , Jawaharlal Nehru University

This paper explores the linkages between adolescent boys’ exposure to violence, as defined by witnessing and experiencing violence in private and public spaces, and their attitudes about men’s entitlement to perpetrate violence against girls, their perpetration of violence against girls and boys. Data are from a prospective study of boys aged 13-21, youth clubs’ members, in rural Bihar. Total of 566 boys were interviewed at baseline, of these, 517 were re-interviewed about 20 months following the first interview. As many as 34 percentage of the participants had witnessed the perpetration of violence in the home or community, and 62 percent had been subjected to violence. Findings highlight that witnessing violence had a milder effect than experiencing violence in private or public spaces. Additionally, the findings highlight the role of the family in engendering boys’ attitudes about violence against women, as well in promoting or inhibiting their perpetration of violence against women.

See paper

 Presented in Session 2. Children & Youth