Polygyny and help-seeking for intimate partner violence in Afghanistan: The mediating role of women’s autonomy and the moderating effects of education and fear of the husband

Soc Sci Med. 2026 Jan 5;392:118945. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.118945. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a pervasive public health concern that undermines the physical, sexual, and psychological well-being of millions of women worldwide. This study examines the association between polygyny and help-seeking behavior in Afghanistan, focusing on the mediation role of women’s autonomy, and moderating effects of educational attainment and fear of husband in this relationship.

METHODS: Date were drawn from the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey (AFDHS) and included married and in-union women aged 15-49 who had been exposed to IPV (n = 10,284). Multiple imputation using chained equations was applied to address missing data. Bivariate regression, Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM), and bootstrapping with 5000 samples were conducted on this relationship.

RESULTS: The result shows that only 19.48 % of women sought help for IPV in Afghanistan. Polygyny had a direct positive effect on help-seeking for IPV (β = 0.10, BCCI = -0.5271-0.4349) and an indirect effect via autonomy (β = 0.06, BCCI = 0.0074-0.0813). When education and fear of husband were included as moderators, the indirect effect reduced but stayed significant (β = 0.04, BCCI = 0.0244-0.0549), confirming moderated mediation.

CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the multi-layered complexity of help-seeking behavior for IPV in Afghanistan and the importance of contextualizing interventions within the broader socio-cultural and structural realities of women’s lives. A culturally sensitive, and gender-transformative approach is crucial for breaking the cycles of silence, fear, and violence.

PMID:41512491 | DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.118945