Collecting Accurate Data on Intimate Partner Violence

Investment Rating - The report does not provide a specific investment rating for the industry Core Insights - Accurate measurement of intimate partner violence (IPV) is challenging due to concerns about anonymity and privacy, which can deter disclosure [3][9] - The study adapted self-interviewing tools for rural-poor contexts and found that audio computer-assisted interviewing (ACASI) significantly increases subsequent disclosure of IPV by 41% to 57% when questions are asked privately first [3][31] - The research involved over 6,000 currently married women from rural-poor households in Punjab, Pakistan, with a focus on improving data collection methods for sensitive topics [14][31] Summary by Sections Introduction - Collecting accurate data on IPV is difficult due to under-reporting driven by fear, stigma, and shame [9] - Face-to-face interviews lack anonymity, while self-completed surveys are impractical for illiterate populations [9] Experiment 1: Understanding ACASI - The first experiment tested respondents' comprehension of ACASI and found high agreement in responses to non-IPV questions, indicating effective understanding [11][23] - The randomization of response options did not affect reporting, suggesting that respondents accurately understood the mapping of images to answer choices [21] Experiment 2: Impact of ACASI on Disclosure - The second experiment demonstrated that answering sensitive questions privately via ACASI first led to significantly higher IPV reporting in subsequent face-to-face interviews [26][31] - Specifically, the frequency of reported slaps increased by 57% and cuts by 47% when questions were asked via ACASI first [26][31] Conclusion - The study concludes that introducing private questioning enhances openness and consistency in reporting sensitive topics, making it a viable method for improving data collection on IPV [31]