Don't Cross the Line: Bounding the Causal Effect of Women's Relative Economic Status on Domestic Violence in India

Abstract

Motivated by the relative resource and instrumental theories of domestic violence, we empirically examine whether a woman whose economic status is at least as high as that of her husband (high-status woman), all else equal, faces more domestic violence than a woman whose economic status is lower than that of her husband (low-status woman) using Indian data. Identifying this causal relationship is challenging due to endogenous selection into marriages and possible misclassification of relative status. To overcome these difficulties, we utilize a nonparametric bounds approach. Relying on fairly weak and partially testable assumptions, we find strong evidence that a high-status woman faces significantly more domestic violence than a low-status woman. This suggests that policies that seek to empower women and promote gender equality might paradoxically increase their exposure to domestic violence.