conflicts with Islam (80.4%). In fact, more women
(84.7%) than men (72.9%) disagreed with this
statement. Slightly more respondents from urban
regions (89.8%) did not support this statement
when compared with people from outer islands
(74.5%).
This question was introduced to the survey
instrument during the 2019 study, hence no
inferences can be drawn to establish trends in
comparison to the previous years.
Table 19: If a man orders a woman to do something conflicting with Islamic
views she must do it, by gender
More men (59.1%) in comparison to women
(55.8%) seem to agree with this statement. The
number of women who strongly believed that
people outside of the family can intervene to
help a woman abused and mistreated by her
husband declined from 39.2% in 2005 to 19.1%
in 2011 and saw a very slight increase in 2019
(20.2%). Interestingly, the number of male
respondents who agree that others outside the
family should intervene if a man mistreats his
wife has increased from 48.2% in 2005 to 54.9%
in 2011 to 59.1% in 2019.
Table 21: If a man mistreats his wife, others outside the family should intervene, by gender
Male
Female
Strongly agree
4.17%
4.35%
Agree
4.43%
6.03%
Neutral
2.60%
0.84%
Disagree
57.03%
67.88%
Strongly
agree
41.40%
20.10%
18.23%
39.20%
19.90%
20.20%
Strongly disagree
15.89%
16.83%
Agree
48.20%
30.40%
40.89%
49.90%
34.60%
35.62%
RF
1.04%
0.42%
Neutral
2.90%
7.30%
3.91%
1.90%
5.20%
2.24%
DK
14.84%
3.65%
Disagree
5.30%
27.20%
21.61%
6.90%
34.10%
32.82%
Strongly
disagree
0.70%
2.10%
3.91%
1.30%
3.50%
4.91%
RF/DK/NA
1.50%
13.00%
11.46%
0.70%
2.60%
4.21%
Male
2005
IT IS A WIFE’S OBLIGATION TO HAVE SEX WITH HER
HUSBAND EVEN IF SHE DOESN’T FEEL LIKE IT
Over a half (52.2%) of the respondents feel that it
is the duty of the wife to have sex with her husband
even if she does not feel like it. Alarmingly, more
women (60.0%) believe in this statement. However,
it is noteworthy that the number of women who
strongly agreed to this belief has decreased from
33.3% in 2011 to 23.1% in 2019
Table 20: Have sex with husband even if she doesn’t feel like it, by gender
Female
Male
2005
Strongly
agree
2011
2019
2005
2011
2019
16.0%
26.80%
15.10%
20.80%
33.30%
23.14%
32.20%
28.10%
22.92%
41.80%
37.70%
36.89%
7.50%
9.80%
5.73%
3.50%
5.90%
2.10%
Disagree
32.90%
20.80%
34.64%
24.30%
18.20%
26.37%
Strongly
disagree
7.50%
1.40%
7.29%
5.50%
2.40%
4.07%
RF/DK/
NA
3.90%
13.20%
14.32%
4.10%
2.40%
7.43%
Agree
Neutral
IF A MAN MISTREATS HIS WIFE, OTHERS OUTSIDE
THE FAMILY SHOULD INTERVENE
Most people (57.0%) believe that if a woman is
being abused by her husband, people outside of
the family are entitled to step in to help the victim.
2011
Female
2019
2005
2011
2019
JUSTIFICATIONS FOR MEN HITTING THEIR
WIVES
People were given a list of circumstances and
asked if they were good justifications for a man
to hit his wife in order to further understand
perceptions behind gender-based violence.
In general, most people (67.85%) did not believe
any of the justifications provided could sanction
a husband to hit or physically abuse his wife.
Nevertheless, it must be noted that 12.4% of the
respondents believe that the husband can hit
his wife if she fails to obey him and worryingly
more women (13.5%) than men held on to this
belief (9.6%). Notably there is a decline in the
number of men (29.3%) and women (35.9%)
who subscribe to this view when compared to
2011.
Some respondents said a man can hit his wife
if he found out that she was unfaithful to him
(12.26%). Here too, no significant difference
was observed between the genders. However,
in 2011 slightly more men (39.4%) than women
(30.8%) said a man can hit a wife if she has been
unfaithful.
Participants of the survey were also asked if it
would be justified for a man to hit his wife if she
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