Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a worldwide public health problem. Many proposals aiming to eliminate its occurrence include the empowerment of women through their socio-economic development. In this context, some studies suggested that microcredit programs (MP) and cash transfer programs (CTP) are initiatives that can also reduce the risk of IPV. Others pointed to an opposite effect. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of women's economic empowerment in MP and CTP on the risk of physical, psychological and sexual violence through a systematic review. Papers/documents selection was conducted by two researchers according to the following criteria: published in English, Portuguese or Spanish; primary data; assessing the effect of MP or CTP on IPV; in heterosexual couples; on women beneficiaries of the intervention; using a comparator group eligible for an MP or CTP; and focusing on risk IPV as the outcomes. Our results showed that the impact of MP are mixed when it comes to physical and physical/sexual violence. Even so, the review suggests that the effect of MP on sexual violence is trivial or nonexistent. Regarding the impact of CTPs, the present study showed that the effects on physical, physical/sexual, psychological, and sexual violence were also heterogeneous. Women more empowered and with some autonomy could be at risk. Despite that, participation in the empowerment program should be encouraged for poor women and families. However, parallel interventions to lead with IPV should be addressed to the main actions to reduce the risk of increasing IPV prevalence in certain scenarios.
Highlights
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health problem worldwide due to its high prevalence and severe consequences for the individuals and families involved and to society at large 1
Our results showed that the impact of microcredit programs (MP) are mixed when it comes to physical and physical/sexual violence, differing markedly according to given scenarios
The review suggests that the effect of MP on sexual violence is trivial or nonexistent
Summary
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health problem worldwide due to its high prevalence and severe consequences for the individuals and families involved and to society at large 1. The consequences of IPV are massive, involving mental, physical and sexual problems, low professional productivity, and offer several barriers for victims to engage in normal, flourishing social activities 2. Programs based on microcredit or cash transfer aimed at eradicating poverty have been regarded as potential tools for reducing IPV. The main purpose of both types of program is to break the cycle of poverty by bringing women into the labor market – microcredit programs (MP) 7 – or by monthly transfers of fixed benefits to families in extremely vulnerable situations, known as cash transfer programs (CTP) 8. CTP may be nonconditional when there are no restrictions to a payee’s permanence in the program, or conditional, when child health and educational actions are required from the beneficiary for the inclusion and continuity in receiving benefits 8
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