Abstract

CASIQUE, Irene. How Can I Say No? Female Empowerment and Unwanted Sex in Mexico. Estud. demogr. urbanos [online]. 2006, vol.21, n.1, pp.49-81.  Epub Oct 30, 2019. ISSN 2448-6515.  https://doi.org/10.24201/edu.v21i1.1261.

Using information from the Reproductive Health Survey of the Population with National Health Insurance (Ensare ’98), the author analyzes the relationship between the sociodemographic characteristics of women with national health insurance, their decision-making capacity and autonomy and the risk of having unwanted sex. The results show that women’s scant possibilities of autonomy and the fact of their belonging to a low (rather than very low) socio-economic strata are factors that can be linked to a significant reduction of the risk of forced sex, while physical violence within the couple increases this possibility. The author also explores certain effects of unwanted sex on women’s reproductive health.

Keywords : sexual violence; marriage; forced sex; reproductive health; risk factors for sexual violence; Mexico.