Project overview
Using the lockdown measures introduced in March 2020 as a natural experiment, the study investigates how shifts in spouses' relative incomes affected the prevalence of domestic violence. Households in which women continued earning income while their partners experienced employment disruptions were compared with households whose income structures remained largely unchanged. By analysing these differences, the research explores whether changes in household bargaining power and economic stress contributed to increased or reduced levels of intimate partner violence. The study provides important evidence on the relationship between economic shocks, household dynamics, and gender-based violence during public health emergencies.
Research impact
The research contributes to evidence-based policies aimed at preventing gender-based violence during periods of economic disruption. Its findings support the design of social protection programmes and emergency response strategies that protect vulnerable women while strengthening household resilience.
