♤ AUTONOMY OF WOMEN

Autonomy of women in control over decision making freedom in sexual relations, freedom of movement and women's attitude towards wife-beating are considered as indicators of women empowerment by the experts. Autonomy of women in refusing sexual intercourse with their husbands is a very forceful expression of women's control over their sexuality and control over one’s sexual life is integral to women’s well-being and autonomy.

According to NFHS 3, the data analysed on female autonomy deals with two important determinants of autonomy of women as indicators of empowerment. The data reveal that more than 78% of women in India had hold on sexual intercourse with their husband. Wife beating is found in India as one of many types of domestic violence on women. It is observed that it is fairly accepted by the women themselves. Wife beating was justified by the women to the extent of more than 64% of women were found must assertive in rejecting the wife beating as the overall index worked out to 0.9599.