Exploring the association between women's access to economic resources and intimate partner violence in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya, Tanzania

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 146; pp. 307 - 315
• Main Authors: Vyas, Seema, Jansen, Henrica AFM, Heise, Lori, Mbwambo, Jessie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2015; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Domestic violence; Employment; Entrepreneurship; Female; Humans; Interdisciplinary Studies; International comparisons; Intimate partner violence; Intimate Partner Violence - economics; Intimate Partner Violence - prevention & control; Microfinance; Poverty - prevention & control; Regression analysis; Risk assessment; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Small Business - economics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tanzania; Women owned businesses; Women's employment; Women's entrepreneurship; Young Adult; Tanzania; Dar es Salaam Tanzania; Intimate partner violence; Tanzania; Women's employment; Women's entrepreneurship
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.10.016

The relationship between women's access to economic resources, e.g. employment or access to micro-credit, and experience of intimate partner violence is complex. Empirical evidence documents that in some settings women's employment is associated with higher risk of partner violence but in other settings with lower risk. Evidence also shows that these conflicting associations exist not only between countries but also within different country settings. Using two population-based data sets gathered in 2002 in contrasting Tanzania settings—Dar es Salaam and Mbeya—, we used multivariate logistic regression to examine the relationship between women's access to economic resources and partner violence. Two indicators of economic resources were examined: whether women earned money and whether women owned a business either with someone or exclusively. In Dar es Salaam we found evidence of a higher risk association among women who earned money and who owned a business exclusively by themselves and a lower risk association among women who owned a business with someone. We found no relationship between either indicator of economic resources and partner violence in Mbeya. Other factors were similarly associated with partner violence in both settings and the strongest associations found were related to the respondents' partners: refusal to give money; alcohol use and relationships with other women. The findings support the assertion that women's access to economic resources operate differently in different country settings, thus highlighting the need for targeted prevention efforts that are relevant for the context. •Explores the role of economic factors on partner violence in two Tanzania settings.•Women's financial autonomy associated with higher violence in Dar es Salaam.•No relationship between economic factors and partner violence in Mbeya.•Relationship between economic factors and partner violence context specific.