Objectives. We examine the effects of lack of toilet facilities in the household on non-family violence (i.e. not family or intimate partner) against Indian women.

Methods. We use National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-3) in India (2005-2006) to estimate the effects of lack of toilet facilities on violence committed by non-family members against women. We define lack of toilet facilities in a household when household members use bush or pit latrines. We control for the wealth of the households by creating an adjusted wealth index, which excludes toilet facilities in the household.

Results. Multi-level regression results, using survey data of 60,847 women in 22 states in India where data are available on toilet facility in the household and non-family violence against women, indicate that after controlling for household wealth and other covariates, the lack of toilet facilities increases incidence of non-family violence against urban Indian women by 43% and poor urban Indian women by 64%. Findings are robust to an alternative measure of toilet facilities, non-family violence, and sampling variations.

Conclusion. Urban Indian women in households which lack toilet facilities are more likely to be victims of non-family violence. The findings reiterate the urgency in addressing toilet issues in urban areas in India to reduce non-family violence against women.