In – Laws Related Aspects Compelling Women to Take Asylum in Sheltered Homes: A Case Control Study in Lahore

Background: The role of in – laws in domestic violence against women is quite prominent, not only in Pakistan but worldwide. In particular, joint family system provides a dominating environment to husband’s family and easy violence approaches too. Women who co-reside with their mothers – in – law are more prone to suffer beating from their husbands than are other women. There was need to know the factors related to the in – laws involved in violence. Objective: To study various in – laws related factors compelling women to take asylum in sheltered homes in Lahore. Materials and Methods: This case control study was conducted in Darulamans of Yateem Khana and Choburji Lahore.200 Interviews (100 cases, 100 controls) were made; Data was collected on pretested questionnaire and analyzed with in SPSS Results: When history of in-laws was collected among both groups, an equal and pretty negative contribution of in – laws was found to torture and destruct women’s life. Among cases, there were 65% females who were  25 years old, Among controls, there were twenty 4% females who were  25 years old, Mean age of cases was24.24 ± 6.44 years and mean age of controls was 34.59  10.63. Fifty nine percent cases and 51% controls were illiterate. Fifty % cases and 36% controls were house wives. Forty six % cases and 49% controls were married to some of their relatives. Conclusion: Factors like physical abuse, demanding in – laws, In – laws tease due to dowry, taunting for no son and women don’t like to live with in – laws are evident to compel women to leave for shelter homes.