Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/300165 
Year of Publication: 
2024
Series/Report no.: 
Quaderni - Working Paper DSE No. 1195
Publisher: 
Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche (DSE), Bologna
Abstract: 
This paper examines the impact of the 2014 Italian divorce law on help-seeking behavior of domestic violence victims and femicides. I find that contrary to expectations, the reform, which aimed to make divorce cheaper while requiring mutual consent, led to a decrease in help-seeking behavior among intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors and an increase in femicides perpetrated by husbands. These findings suggest that while reducing the cost of divorce may empower individuals to leave abusive relationships, the requirement for mutual consent may inadvertently escalate violence as husbands seek to assert control and prevent separation. The study underscores the importance of considering the unintended consequences of divorce legislation and prioritizing the safety of IPV survivors in family policy interventions.
Subjects: 
Domestic violence
Femicides
Divorce
Help-seeking
Family policy
JEL: 
J12
J16
I10
I31
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc Logo
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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