Economic vulnerability is an important yet underexplored factor influencing women's sexual agency and communication within marriage, particularly in rural India. While previous research has documented gender inequality and reproductive coercion among low-income women, limited qualitative work has examined how financial dependency shapes women's lived experiences of marital intimacy, sexual compliance, and emotional wellbeing. This study explores the relationship between economic dependency, communicative silence, and psychological coping among low-income married women in rural northern India.
Grounded in Cognitive Appraisal Theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), feminist psychology, and Kandiyoti's concept of bargaining with patriarchy, this qualitative study employed semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 purposively selected married women aged 18 to 30 years. Interviews were conducted in Hindi and translated using a systematic back-translation procedure to ensure linguistic and cultural accuracy. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis.
Findings revealed that financial dependency strongly shaped women's experiences of marital intimacy and communication. Many participants described sexual compliance as linked to household stability and economic survival rather than personal desire or mutual intimacy. Fear of conflict, abandonment, and financial insecurity often prevented women from expressing discomfort or discussing sexual and emotional needs openly. Participants also reported limited autonomy regarding contraception and reproductive decisions, reinforcing experiences of restricted agency within marriage.
The study highlights how economic vulnerability and patriarchal gender norms interact to sustain intimate silence and limit women's sexual agency. The findings emphasise the need for culturally sensitive sexual education, women's financial empowerment initiatives, and accessible mental health support services within rural Indian communities.