Female breadwinning and domestic abuse: evidence from Australia

Yinjunjie (Jacquelyn Zhang and Robert Breunig

Journal of Population Economics, 2023, vol. 36, issue 4, No 27, 2925-2965

Abstract: Abstract We explore the relationship between heterosexual partners’ relative income and the incidence of both domestic violence and emotional abuse. Using Australian data drawn from society-wide surveys, we find women who earn more than their male partners are subject to a 33% increase in partner violence and a 20% increase in emotional abuse compared to mean levels. We show the relationship between relative spouse income and female partner abuse is best modelled by a binary variable that captures “female breadwinning.” This finding differs from those of some earlier studies that considered only serious abuse and found a continuous negative relationship between female partners’ relative income and abuse. Instead, our findings suggest a mechanism related to gender norms generating domestic violence. We find no link between relative income and abuse of male partners.

Keywords: Intimate partner violence; Female breadwinning; Relative income (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 J12 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s00148-023-00975-9

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