Consent and Coercion: Examining Unwanted Sex Among Married Young Women in India

TLDR

Research on nonconsensual sex among adolescents is growing, but few studies examine coerced or unwanted sex within early‑marriage settings, prompting this cross‑sectional survey of 1,664 married young women in Gujarat and West Bengal, India. The study aims to identify the prevalence and risk factors of occasional and frequent unwanted sex and to inform future research on its health impacts and programmatic responses. Using survey data and in‑depth interviews, the authors applied descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression to assess prevalence and risk factors, and performed qualitative analysis to contextualize instances of unwanted sex. Unwanted sex occurred frequently in 12 % and occasionally in 32 % of participants; lower risk was linked to better marital familiarity, spousal support, and higher household wealth, while frequent unwanted sex correlated with childlessness or pregnancy, lower education, and endorsement of wife‑beating norms, underscoring that sex is not always consensual or wanted among married young women.

Abstract

Although there is a growing body of research examining the issue of nonconsensual sex among adolescents, few studies have looked at coerced sex within marriage in settings where early marriage is common, or at sex that may not be perceived as forced, but that is unwanted.A cross-sectional study, using both survey research and in-depth interviews, was conducted among 1,664 married young women in Gujarat and West Bengal, India. Descriptive data and multinomial logistic regression were used to identify the prevalence and risk factors for occasional and frequent unwanted sex. Qualitative data were analyzed to examine the context in which unwanted sex takes place.Twelve percent of married young women experienced unwanted sex frequently; 32% experienced it occasionally. The risk of experiencing unwanted sex was lower among women who knew their husband fairly well at the time of marriage, regularly received support from their husband in conflicts with other family members or lived in economically better-off households. Frequent unwanted sex was associated with not yet having had a child or having become pregnant, with lower education and with agreeing with norms that justify wife beating.For married young women, sex is not always consensual or wanted. Further research is required to determine the effects of unwanted sex on sexual and reproductive health outcomes and to help programs develop the best strategies for dealing with coerced sex within marriage.