Ranchi: Nearly one in four women aged between 18 and 49 years in the state face spousal violence, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6. While the state average was 27%, higher than the national figure of 22.3%, it reflected a marginal improvement from the 31.4% reported in NFHS-5.The spousal violence rate, however, decline across the country from 29.2% in NFHS-5.The survey also found that rural women in the state are more vulnerable to spousal violence than their urban counterparts. In Jharkhand, 29.2% of rural women reported domestic violence compared to 18.2% in urban areas.Except Bihar, other neighbouring states, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal, recorded lower spousal violence than the national average in NFHS-6. While Bihar recorded an average of 36.1%, the figure in Odisha was 18.9%, West Bengal 19% and Chhattisgarh 16.1%.Ajay Kumar Jaiswal, founder of Ranchi-based Asha Kiran Foundation, which works for women and child rights, said that women in Jharkhand are becoming more self-reliant and economically independent now compared to 10-15 years earlier.“Independent women speak out about their priorities, likes and dislikes. But that change is not being accepted well by their partners or in-laws, which in turn is leading to a rise in domestic violence cases. We work in around 15 villages, where cases of such violence are reported. Despite shouldering household responsibilities, women are subjected to violence by their partners,” he added.However, Jaiswal said that women are now reporting more cases of domestic violence due to greater awareness about laws.Social welfare department director Kiran Kumari Pasi emphasised the declining rate of domestic violence in the state in NFHS-6 compared to NFHS-5.“Jharkhand is historically burdened with various crimes against women, whether it is child marriage and witch-hunting, among others. However, the state recorded a decline in domestic violence cases in the recent NFHS report compared to the previous one. Various govt initiatives have contributed to the decline, with education and empowerment schemes reaching the hinterland,” Pasi said.She added that the govt’s initiative of launching women helpline numbers, establishing one-stop centres and integrated Shakti Sadans, have empowered women to report any kind of violence against them.