The aim of this study was to assess whether women’s
empowerment ensures reduced intimate partner
violence (IPV). The differential relationship
between women’s empowerment and IPV among married
women in Bangladesh was investigated using 2007
Demographic and Health Survey data. Logistic
regression models were used to assess whether
women’s empowerment had any influence on their
likelihood of experiencing IPV while controlling for
other covariates. The analyses revealed that older
cohorts of women, who were more empowered, were more
vulnerable to physical violence than less-empowered,
younger women. The likelihood of being affected by
physical violence among less-empowered, childless
women was greater than that of more-empowered women
with only male children. Less-empowered, uneducated
women were more likely to experience physical
violence than more-empowered, primary-educated
women. Less-empowered women who had been married for
less than 5 years were more likely to suffer from
physical violence than more-empowered women who had
been married for more than 19 years. The likelihood
of experiencing sexual violence was not found to
have any significant association with women’s
empowerment. The findings suggest that although
women’s empowerment in Bangladesh is gradually
improving, some sub-groups of empowered women are
still susceptible to IPV.