Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Social Pensions and Intimate Partner Violence Against Older Women
Author-Name: Cristina Belles-Obrero
Author-Email: cristina.belles@ub.edu
Author-Name: Giulia La Mattina
Author-Email: glamattina@usf.edu
Author-Name: Han Ye
Author-Email: han.ye@uni-mannheim.de
Classification-JEL: H55, I38, J12, J26
Keywords: Non-contributory pension, Intimate partner violence, Retirement, Income

Abstract: The prevalence and determinants of intimate partner violence (IPV) among older women
are understudied. This paper documents that the incidence of IPV remains high at old ages
and provides the first evidence of the impact of access to income on IPV for older women.
We leverage a Mexican reform that lowered the eligibility age for a non-contributory pension
and a difference-in-differences approach. Women’s eligibility for the pension increases their
probability of being subjected to economic, psychological, and physical IPV. The estimated
effects are found only among women in the short term and are more pronounced for women
who experienced family violence in childhood and those from poorer households. Looking at
potential mechanisms, we find suggestive evidence that men use violence as a tool to control
women’s resources. Additionally, women reduce paid employment after becoming eligible
for the pension, which may result in more time spent at home and greater exposure to violent
partners. In contrast, we show that IPV does not increase when men become eligible for the
non-contributory pension.

Note: 
Length: 63
Creation-Date: 2024-10
Revision-Date:
File-URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp602
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:CRCTR224_2024_602