Does going against the norm on women’s economic participation increase intimate partner violence risk? A cross-sectional, multi-national study
Outcomes: Gender‑Based Violence, Women’s Economic Empowerment
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways Social norms—particularly those governing women’s economic participation and gendered expectations around male provision—critically shape the relationship between women’s economic empowerment (WEE) and intimate partner violence (IPV). The discussion highlights that when women’s economic behaviors deviate from what is normative in their community (“vanguard” behavior), they may face increased risk of IPV due to male backlash aimed at reasserting traditional gender roles and authority. Importantly, the findings demonstrate that WEE is not inherently protective; rather, its effects depend on the surrounding normative environment. Where women’s economic participation is more common, IPV risk decreases, but in settings where such participation is non-normative, empowerment may initially increase risk. This underscores that social norms are a key moderating force and must be addressed alongside economic interventions to avoid unintended harm.
Objectives The study aimed to test whether women who engage in economic activities that deviate from local norms (“vanguard” women) face higher risk of IPV, and to examine whether household wealth moderates this relationship across diverse low- and middle-income country contexts.
Methods A cross-sectional, multi-national quantitative study was conducted using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 44 low- and middle-income countries, including 186,968 partnered women. Social norms were operationalized through a novel “Vanguard WEE Index,” which captures the extent to which a woman’s economic activities (e.g., employment, income, decision-making power) are non-normative relative to her community (based on prevalence thresholds). Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess associations between vanguard status and past-year physical IPV, sexual IPV, and partner control, controlling for individual, household, and country-level factors.
Results While overall WEE was associated with reduced IPV risk, vanguard WEE was consistently associated with increased risk of violence and control. Women with one, two, and three or more non-normative WEE characteristics experienced progressively higher probabilities of physical IPV (increasing from ~0.15 to ~0.19), sexual IPV (from ~0.05 to ~0.08), and partner control (from ~0.38 to ~0.44). The association was strongest among poorer women, indicating that economic context shapes vulnerability to backlash. These patterns were consistent across sensitivity analyses and diverse country settings.
Conclusions The study concludes that women who challenge prevailing economic gender norms may face increased IPV risk, particularly in contexts where such behaviors are uncommon. Programs promoting women’s economic empowerment should incorporate strategies to address gender norms and monitor potential backlash, especially during early stages of normative change.
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