Lecture by Prof. Haimanti Bhattacharya
On May 28, 2014, 1:15-2:15 p.m. Prof. Haimanti Bhattacharya will give a lecture on "Spousal Violence and Women's Labor Force Participation in India".
Location: SAI, INF 330, Room 316
Abstract
This study presents an empirical analysis of the relationship between women’s labor
force participation and their experience of physical or sexual spousal violence. The
analysis is based on a nationally representative dataset from India. The results illustrate
that experience of spousal violence is associated with significantly higher odds of labor
force participation of married women. The estimates also depict that women who
experienced spousal violence are more likely to work for cash remuneration. At a first
glance, these results may appear to suggest that spousal violence is associated with higher
likelihood of married women seeking financial self-reliance. However an analysis of who
decides how to spend the women’s earnings reveals that women who experience spousal
violence are less likely to have a say in that vital decision, which suggests that women
who experience spousal violence are also more susceptible to financial exploitation in
India.
