Thiruvananthapuram, June 30 -- Data in the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6 showed that the share of married women who reported experiencing spousal violence has nearly doubled in four years.

While 9.8% of married women reported experiencing spousal violence in the 2019-21 NFHS, the figure rose sharply to 17.7% in the 2023-24 survey. The latest survey was conducted in Kerala between July and December 2023 and covered 13,005 households.

The data also reveals a rural-urban divide. While 15.6% of women in rural areas reported experiencing violence by their spouses, the corresponding figure in urban areas was higher at 19.7%. NFHS defines "spousal violence" as physical or sexual violence.

In contrast, the national average has ...