Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

15.6 ATTITUDES TOWARD REFUSING SEX WITH HUSBAND
Women’s sexual empowerment has important implications for demographic and health
outcomes such as their exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. It is also an
indicator of women’s empowerment in general, as it measures women’s level of acceptance of
societal norms that socialize them to believe that women do not have the right to refuse sexual
intercourse with their husband for any reason. The number of reasons that a wife finds acceptable for
refusing sexual intercourse with her husband reflects perceptions of sexual roles and women’s rights
over their bodies, and relates positively to women’s sense of self-esteem.
To measure beliefs about women’s sexual empowerment, the 2009-10 TLDHS included
questions on whether the respondent thinks that a wife is justified in refusing to have sexual
intercourse with her husband under three circumstances: she knows her husband has a sexually
transmitted disease, she knows her husband has sexual intercourse with other women, or she is tired
or not in the mood. These three circumstances were chosen because they are effective in combining
the issues of women’s rights and consequences for women’s health. Tables 15.7.1 and 15.7.2 show
the responses of women and men, respectively.
Table 15.7.1 shows that about two in three women agree with each of the specified
circumstances under which a wife is justified in refusing to have sexual intercourse with her husband,
and 51 percent agree with all three of the reasons. Women are most likely to agree that a woman can
refuse to have sexual intercourse with her husband if she knows her husband has a sexually
transmitted infection or if she is tired or not in the mood (67 percent each). Sixty-five percent think
that a woman is justified in refusing sexual intercourse if she knows that her husband has intercourse
with other women. Twenty percent of women agree with none of the specified reasons, meaning that
they think that a woman should not refuse sexual intercourse with her husband under any
circumstances.
Women living in urban areas, those with higher education, and those in the highest wealth
quintile are least likely to think all of the reasons for refusing sex are acceptable. Interestingly, these
women are also less empowered with regard to other indicators, reinforcing the finding that within a
patriarchal society educated, wealthy, and urban women are not automatically accorded equality.
Table 15.7.2 shows the percentage of men who think that a wife is justified in refusing to
have sexual intercourse with her husband under the same three specified circumstances: she knows
her husband has a sexually transmitted disease, she knows her husband has sexual intercourse with
other women, or she is tired or not in the mood. The results indicate that the proportion of men who
think that a woman is justified in refusing sexual intercourse with her husband for all three specified
reasons is almost the same as the proportion of women (53 and 51 percent, respectively). Seventy-two
percent of men, compared with 67 percent of women, think that a wife is justified in refusing sexual
intercourse with her husband if she knows he has a sexually transmitted infection; 71 percent of men,
compared with 65 percent of women, think that a wife is justified in refusing sexual intercourse if she
knows that her husband has intercourse with other women; and 75 percent of men, compared with
67 percent of women, think that a woman is justified in refusing sexual intercourse with her husband
if she is tired or not in the mood. Men age 15-19, those who have primary education, those who are
not employed, those who have never married, and those who have no children are least likely to
accept all of the reasons for refusing sex.
Notable differences are seen by education, with highly educated men more likely to agree
with all of the specified reasons for women to refuse sexual intercourse. Conversely, these men are
also least likely to agree with none of the specified reasons, indicating that urban, educated, and
wealthy men are more accepting of women’s entitlement to control their sexuality. There are also
substantial variations by district, with men in Viqueque less likely to accept all reasons for refusing
sex (9 percent), while nearly all men in Manatuto agreed with all the specified reasons for refusing
sex (99 percent). In the case of women, it was highest in Ermera (90 percent).
216 | Women’s Empowerment and Demographic and Health Outcomes