Journal of Economic Literature Vol. 64 No. 2 2026

Intimate Partner Violence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Insights from Economic Research

Manisha Shah¹; Lydia Barski²

¹ Chancellor’s Professor, University of California, Berkeley; NBER; and BREAD. · ² Predoctoral Fellow, Duke University.

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive global issue, with approximately one in three women experiencing IPV over their lifetime.IPV prevalence is higher in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), and costs of IPV are also considerably larger as a percentage of GDP in LMICs.We present the economic theory behind IPV and highlight some important determinants such as poverty and societal norms.We then synthesize the causal evidence on the impact of a range of policies and interventions, highlighting approaches which have been effective in reducing IPV.We identify key insights from the existing literature and outline areas where further theoretical and empirical research is needed.

DOI

10.1257/jel.20251769

Volume

64

Issue

2

Pages

403-446

Language

en

Sources

openalex crossref

Cite

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