Chapter-6:

Information Sources, Exposure to Campaign and Need for Information

6.1 Source of Information

Individuals play a crucial role in disseminating information and raising awareness

about various issues. More respondents were educated by some individuals about
HIV/AIDS than those were informed about two other issues namely, domestic violence and
women’s rights. While individuals play a major role to educate people in Uttar Pradesh it is
quite insignificant in Maharashtra. Though efforts had been made to educate common
people about women’s rights respondents getting information from individuals about other
issues are higher.

Respondents Educated By Individuals

60

50
Respondents (%)

40

30 HIV/AIDS
Domestic Violence

20 Womens' Rights

10

0
Karnataka Maharashtra Uttar Pradesh Total

Locations

More female respondents were educated about all these issues than their male
counterparts in Karnataka. The reverse can be visible in the state of Uttar Pradesh even in the
case of information about women’s rights. While 22% male and 3% female respondents were

1
educated by individuals about HIV/AIDS, very low percentages of both male & female
respondents received education about other two issues comparatively.

Educated by individuals: (Figures in

%)
About Karnataka Maharashtra Uttar Pradesh Total
Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female
HIV/AIDS 30.3 44 21.9 3 58.4 22.7 36.9 23.2
Domestic Violence 18.9 35.5 5 1 72.8 32.3 32.3 22.8
Women’s Rights 10.4 38 1 1 34.7 16.2 15.4 18.3

Educating Individuals:

HIV/AIDS:
• In Karnataka and Maharashtra, Doctors play a major role in disseminating
information about HIV/AIDS while in the state of Uttar Pradesh the prime role is
played by friends.
• Village health workers in Karnataka, NGO workers & Friends in Maharashtra and
Doctors & Family members in Uttar Pradesh are among the individuals educating
many people about HIV/AIDS.
• While doctors are the sources of information for more women than men; community
leaders, friends and family members play as vital sources of information for men.
Village health workers & NGO workers outreach more to the women than their
counterparts.
Domestic Violence:
• Family members, Community leaders, Village health workers and Friends play a vital
role in educating people about domestic violence in Karnataka while majority of
respondents from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra were educated by Family
members and Friends respectively.
• Family members and community leaders had educated more men about domestic
violence whereas friends and Village health workers had educated more women than
men.
Women’s Rights
• Family members, Community leaders and Village health workers play a vital role in
raising awareness about women’s rights in Karnataka while majority of respondents

2
 from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra were educated by Family members and
Friends respectively.
• In case of men, family members and community leaders educate more than any
other category. On the other hand, the rights are mainly discussed by a number of
individuals like family members, village health workers, community leaders, friends,
Angwanwadi workers, NGO workers and ANM to the women.

Sources of information other than Individuals:

• HIV/AIDS: Television and Radio are very common sources of information in most of
the states while in Karnataka Newspaper is also an important source of information
about HIV/AIDS. When television remains the major source for women, radio and
newspaper along with television constitute the prime sources for information for men.

• Domestic Violence: Along with Television and Radio, Newspaper is another major
source for disseminating information regarding domestic violence. But in
Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh Television is the prime source. Television and radio
disseminate information on domestic violence more to women than men while
newspaper does the reverse. Community is also an important source for women but
as high as 3.7% also experience DV that becomes the source of information for them
more than the male counterparts.

• Women’s Rights: Besides individuals, Television, Radio and Newspaper remain the
important sources in Karnataka while in Uttar Pradesh it is only Television, that too
not very important as a source of information. In Maharashtra, very less percentage
of respondents get informations on Women’s rights from all these sources.
Television, radio and newspaper are common sources for both male and female.
Newspaper is more common to male while the other two sources cater more to
female respondents. For 5.3% women, they also count themselves as a source of
information.

6.2 Preferred Source

Sources Karnataka Maharashtra Uttar Pradesh Total

HIV/AIDS Television, Television, Television, Radio Television,
Newspaper, Radio, Newspaper, Radio, Newspaper, Radio,

3
 Doctors Doctors Doctors
Domestic Television, Television, Television, Family Television,
Violence Newspaper, Radio Newspaper, Radio members Newspaper, Radio,
Family members
Women’s Television, Television, Radio, Television, Self, Television,
Rights Newspaper, Radio, Newspaper, NGO Family members, Newspaper, Radio
Family members workers Newspaper

While in the case of HIV/AIDS, doctor is one of the dominating sources of

preference, family members in Uttar Pradesh in case of domestic violence act as sources of
information. But for informations regarding Women’s Right, family member, NGO workers
and people themselves are preferred sources besides television, radio and newspaper.
Doctors are more preferred source of information about HIV/AIDS for the females
than males while comparatively television; radio and newspapers are more preferred by
male respondents.

Besides the mass media, preferred sources of information with respect to domestic
violence include community leaders and NGO workers for the male and female respectively.
Family members also fall in the category of preferred sources, but more in case of male than
female respondents.
In case of information on women’s rights the other preferred sources are inclusive of
NGO workers, family members, self and community leaders for women respondents while
for their counterparts family members and community leaders are some of the major
preferred sources.

6.3 Information collected

• The information gathered on HIV/AIDS: From various sources respondents were

exposed to knowledge mainly regarding the use of condom, spread of HIV, staying away
from multiple sex partners, avoiding wrong sexual relationship. In Karnataka, respondents
also collected information on use of tested blood while in other two states informations on
preventive measures were also acquired. While more men have collected information
about usage of condom women have collected information regarding the use of new
needles and use of tested blood.

• The information gathered on Domestic Violence: As individuals and communities

have a critical role to play in reducing the incidence of domestic violence it is important to
gather knowledge about the issue. This study reveals that a huge number of respondents

4
 have gathered informations like quarrel/fight is not a good thing, legal action can be taken
if woman is troubled, it is not good to fight among the spouses. In addition to this more
than 20% of respondents in Karnataka came to know that it is illegal to take or ask for
dowry. Besides, both male and female respondents discussed what comprises domestic
violence.

• The information gathered on Women’s Rights: From available sources

respondents became aware about the right of women to independence, right to residence,
men and women have equal rights etc. In Maharashtra, the percentage of people
gathering information regarding any issue related to women’s rights does not even reach
4%. In Karnataka, as high as 6% respondent acquired information on the right of women
to be respected. Male respondents had understood that women should be respected in
addition to all the above-mentioned informations, whereas women came to know that
women have right to their marital properties.

6.4 More Information Sought

HIV/AIDS:
While spread of AIDS remains the commonest sought after information across the
space, around 14% & 10% people in Maharashtra wants to know about what happens when
one becomes HIV positive and where can people get tested. A little more than one-fifth
respondents in Karnataka seek for the information on the availability of medicine whereas
14% and around 12% respondents in Uttar Pradesh want to know where can people get
tested and if at all there exists a complete cure or not.

Domestic Violence:
More than one-fourth of the respondents wanted general information about Domestic
Violence Act in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh while only around 9% from Maharashtra
sought for this information. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 was
also one of the sought after informations for about 5% and 6.5% respondents of Karnataka
and Maharashtra respectively.
Almost 10% respondents from Maharashtra wanted to know who should one ask for
help. The concept of DV is another important information which 8.3% respondents from UP
look for while information regarding preventive measures of DV was common area of

5
interest in all three states. Both women and men also want to know why domestic violence
takes place.

Women’s Rights:
The type of women’s rights is the most sought after information for about 42%, 40%
and 60% respondents of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh respectively. Around
6% respondents wanted to know whether a woman looses or benefits from women’s rights.
Few respondents from Karnataka wanted the information regarding women’s right on
property and attainment of women’s rights.

6.5 Exposure to Campaign

Only one respondent from each of the states has heard about Breakthrough. Out of
these three respondents one is female. One from each group of male & female respondents
became aware two months ago about how to fight against Domestic Violence through some
leaflets.

---------------------------------------------------------X---------------------------------------------------------------