Divorce, domestic violence, and help seeking

Elena Pisanelli, University of Bologna, Department of Economics
Quaderni - Working Paper DSE N° 1195

This paper examines the impact of the 2014 Italian divorce law on help-seeking behavior of domestic violence victims and femicides. I find that contrary to expectations, the reform, which aimed to make divorce cheaper while requiring mutual consent, led to a decrease in help-seeking behavior among intimate partner violence (IPV) sur-vivors and an increase in femicides perpetrated by husbands.

These findings suggest that while reducing the cost of divorce may empower individuals to leave abusive relationships, the requirement for mutual consent may inadvertently escalate violence as husbands seek to assert control and prevent separation. The study underscores the importance of considering the unintended consequences of divorce legislation and prioritizing the safety of IPV survivors in family policy interventions.

Domestic violence is a widespread problem globally, especially affecting women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Research shows a strong connection between divorce and intimate partner violence (IPV), with separation rates spiking after abusive incidents. However, there’s not enough evidence in economic studies about how divorce laws impact domestic abuse and femicides.

This paper adds to economic research on IPV causes. Previous studies (see, for instance, Garc ́ıa-Ramos (2021), Bowlus and Seitz (2006), Dee (2003) and Stevenson and Wolfers (2006)) found that while divorce laws didn’t immediately change IPV rates, they rose over time, especially among women who stayed in marriages after the laws changed. Other research (see Brassiolo (2016)) showed that reducing divorce costs led to less spousal violence.

This study focuses on Italy, where divorce became cheaper and easier in 2014, but both partners needed to agree. This change might affect how violence happens in households. Cheaper divorce might give spouses more power to negotiate, but it could also lead to violence if one partner feels they’re losing control.

The study suggests two things might happen: fewer people might report IPV due to fear, and femicides (women killed by their partners) could rise as men try to keep control and stop separations.
Using data on calls to helplines and femicides, the study found that after the 2014 law change, helpline calls dropped, and femicides against wives went up.

This contradicts earlier studies suggesting cheaper divorce reduces spousal murders. The Italian law’s requirement for both partners to agree on divorce might create more tension in relationships, leading to deadly violence.

These findings challenge the idea that lowering divorce costs reduces domestic violence. Instead, they support theories that violence can increase as traditional gender roles are threatened. The paper emphasizes the need for family policies that support victims and reshape household dynamics. Policymaker should consider these consequences when designing new family laws.

Divorce, domestic violence, and help seeking

Summary