Sexual coercion within marriage in Quang Tri, Vietnam

Abstract

Sexual coercion in marriage is not widely talked about in Vietnam. Against this background, the present study aimed to describe how and why non-consensual sex in marital settings occurs in a rural community in Vietnam. Data were collected from 81 married men and women through ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Findings revealed that silence and lack of resistance on the part of women in sex are interpreted as consent, and cultural values often encourage women to accept coercion 'voluntarily'. Lack of information on, and public dialogue about, sexuality make it difficult for sexually inexperienced people to gain knowledge before commencing sexual relationships and often lead to traumatic first experiences. These factors combine to make women develop negative attitudes toward sex or to deny sex altogether. To better understand sexual coercion within marriage, we should look not only at physical acts but also at cultural and gendered perceptions and practices in a specific setting. Findings highlight the need for a comprehensive response to tackling sexual coercion within marriage.

Contraception practices among young unmarried women seeking abortion following unintended pregnancy in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

“…Young unmarried women struggle with the conflict between traditional beliefs regarding virginity (B elanger and Barbieri 2009;Martin 2010;Nguyen 2007;Nguyen and Liamputtong 2007;Schuler et al 2006) and more modern ideas concerning sexuality (Drummond 2006;Horton and Rydstrom 2011;Nguyen and Pham 2015;Phan 2008) and premarital sex (Nguyen 2007). Abortion as an option for young women studying or working is consistent with other research (Do and Fu 2010;Loan and Srisaeng 2014;Ngo et al 2014).…”

“…Women in this study did not want to be seen as sexually active and kept their sexuality a secret. Their sexual culture reflects changes in Vietnam (Horton and Rydstrom 2011;Martin 2010;Nguyen 2007;Schuler et al 2006) in a context where gender inequality and cultural norms constrain young women's capability to control their sexual activity (Phan 2008;Vu 2008). Women felt guilt and shame when buying emergency contraceptive pills or seeking abortion.…”

“…Knowledge about reproductive health and contraception among young adults in Vietnam has been found to be poor (Do and Fu 2010;Gao et al 2012;Phan 2008). Previous studies have shown that single women having abortions have often failed to use contraceptives because of poor knowledge and limited skills (B elanger and Khuat 1999;Gammeltoft 2002;Khuat 2003;Loan and Srisaeng 2014;Nguyen, Liamputtong, and Murphy 2006).…”

The Road From Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals by 2030

“…Second, until recently, many societies around the world considered IPV against women a private matter, a social taboo to discuss in public (Hien, 2008; Hussain & Khan, 2008; Mitra & Singh, 2007). IPV is now a topic for social policy action.…”

Gendered social learning, nonfamily institutions, and attitudes about recourse after partner violence.

“…Moreover, men often remain the symbolic heads of household and retain authority over major family decisions (Hong, Duong, & Nguyen, 2010; Bui et al, 2012; Hien, 2008). Women, in turn, must accommodate these decisions (Author, et al, 2006a; Hien, 2008; Hong, Duong, & Nguyen, 2010) or risk blame and “punishment” (Bui et al., 2012; Hien, 2008; Nguyen, 2012; Hong, Duong, & Nguyen, 2010). Taoist ideas associating men with heat and women with coolness legitimize men’s violence and pressure women to endure it in silence (Horton & Rydstrøm, 2011; Rydstrøm, 2003).…”