IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/sagope/v11y2021i2p21582440211021399.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Association Between Women Empowerment and Emotional Violence in Zimbabwe: A Cluster Analysis Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Annah Vimbai Bengesai
  • Evelyn Derera

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between women’s empowerment and different dimensions of emotional violence in Zimbabwe using cluster analysis and logistic regression. We used data from the 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative household study of fertility, health, and mortality indicators among women aged 15 to 49 years. Our sample consisted of 2,966 currently partnered women at the time of the survey. Our results revealed that more than 60% of the women had experienced emotional intimate partner violence (IPV), of which controlling behaviors were the most prevalent form. The results showed that women empowerment in Zimbabwe is primarily characterized by economic empowerment, household bargaining power, and freedom of movement. At the same time, educational attainment, health decision-making, and attitudes toward gender-based violence had expected relatively weak empowerment effects. The results also revealed that economically empowered women were less likely to experience denigrating or threatening behaviors, whereas those who had high levels of freedom of movement had a lower risk of experiencing all forms of emotional IPV except for threatening behavior. These findings suggest that emotional IPV is a considerable societal problem in Zimbabwe, and interventions that increase economic empowerment and freedom of movement may reduce the risk. Future research studies may examine the likelihood of reverse causality between women empowerment and emotional IPV.

Suggested Citation

  • Annah Vimbai Bengesai & Evelyn Derera, 2021. "The Association Between Women Empowerment and Emotional Violence in Zimbabwe: A Cluster Analysis Approach," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:11:y:2021:i:2:p:21582440211021399
    DOI: 10.1177/21582440211021399
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440211021399
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/21582440211021399?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul Alhassan Issahaku, 2017. "Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(2), pages 21582440177, June.
    2. Andrew Gibbs & Kristin Dunkle & Rachel Jewkes, 2018. "Emotional and economic intimate partner violence as key drivers of depression and suicidal ideation: A cross-sectional study among young women in informal settlements in South Africa," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Kidman, Rachel & Palermo, Tia & Bertrand, Jane, 2015. "Intimate partner violence, modern contraceptive use and conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 2-10.
    4. Marisa Bucheli & Maximo Rossi, 2019. "Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Latin America and the Caribbean," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(3), pages 21582440198, August.
    5. J. A. Hartigan & M. A. Wong, 1979. "A K‐Means Clustering Algorithm," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 28(1), pages 100-108, March.
    6. Kathryn M. Yount & AliceAnn Crandall & Yuk Fai Cheong & Theresa L. Osypuk & Lisa M. Bates & Ruchira T. Naved & Sidney Ruth Schuler, 2016. "Child Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Bangladesh: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(6), pages 1821-1852, December.
    7. Jewkes, Rachel & Levin, Jonathan & Penn-Kekana, Loveday, 2002. "Risk factors for domestic violence: findings from a South African cross-sectional study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(9), pages 1603-1617, November.
    8. Fitsum W. Bayissa & Jeroen Smits & Ruerd Ruben, 2018. "The Multidimensional Nature of Women's Empowerment: Beyond the Economic Approach," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(4), pages 661-690, May.
    9. Kim, J.C. & Watts, C.H. & Hargreaves, J.R. & Ndhlovu, L.X. & Phetla, G. & Morison, L.A. & Busza, J. & Porter, J.D.H. & Pronyk, P., 2007. "Understanding the impact of a microfinance-based intervention on women's empowerment and the reduction of intimate partner violence in South Africa," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(10), pages 1794-1802.
    10. Panda, Pradeep & Agarwal, Bina, 2005. "Marital violence, human development and women's property status in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 823-850, May.
    11. LynnMarie Sardinha & Héctor E Nájera Catalán, 2018. "Attitudes towards domestic violence in 49 low- and middle-income countries: A gendered analysis of prevalence and country-level correlates," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-18, October.
    12. Lotus McDougal & Jeni Klugman & Nabamallika Dehingia & Amruta Trivedi & Anita Raj, 2019. "Financial inclusion and intimate partner violence: What does the evidence suggest?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-16, October.
    13. Mukesh Eswaran & Nisha Malhotra, 2011. "Domestic violence and women's autonomy in developing countries: theory and evidence," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 44(4), pages 1222-1263, November.
    14. Naila Kabeer, 1999. "Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 30(3), pages 435-464, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Auriol, Emmanuelle & Platteau, Jean-Philippe & Camilotti, Giula, 2017. "Eradicating Women-Hurting Customs: What Role for Social Engineering?," CEPR Discussion Papers 12107, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Abel Kinyondo & Magashi Joseph, 2021. "Women’s employment status and domestic violence in Tanzania: How do they link?," International Journal of Social Welfare, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 216-225, April.
    3. Sohini Paul, 2016. "Women’s Labour Force Participation and Domestic Violence," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 11(2), pages 224-250, August.
    4. Marjorie Pichon & Sarah Treves-Kagan & Erin Stern & Nambusi Kyegombe & Heidi Stöckl & Ana Maria Buller, 2020. "A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review: Infidelity, Romantic Jealousy and Intimate Partner Violence against Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-35, August.
    5. Paul, Sohini, 2014. "Women labour force participation and domestic violence: Evidence from India," MPRA Paper 55311, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Arzu Kibris & Phillip Nelson, 2023. "Female income generation and intimate partner violence: Evidence from a representative survey in Turkey," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(6), pages 963-978, August.
    7. Lu Gram & Rolando Granados & Eva M. Krockow & Nayreen Daruwalla & David Osrin, 2021. "Modelling collective action to change social norms around domestic violence: social dilemmas and the role of altruism," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Rao, Nitya, 2017. "Assets, Agency and Legitimacy: Towards a Relational Understanding of Gender Equality Policy and Practice," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 43-54.
    9. Madhuri Mahato & Julie Vardhan, 2021. "Discourses by Didis of Community Kitchens: A Case on Women Empowerment," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 10(2), pages 145-157, August.
    10. Gutiérrez-Nieto, Begoña & Serrano-Cinca, Carlos, 2019. "20 years of research in microfinance: An information management approach," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 183-197.
    11. Ruchira Tabassum Naved & Mahfuz Al Mamun & Kausar Parvin & Samantha Willan & Andrew Gibbs & Marat Yu & Rachel Jewkes, 2018. "Magnitude and correlates of intimate partner violence against female garment workers from selected factories in Bangladesh," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, November.
    12. Jorge M. Agüero & Veronica Frisancho, 2022. "Measuring Violence against Women with Experimental Methods," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 70(4), pages 1565-1590.
    13. Yokying, Phanwin & Lambrecht, Isabel, 2020. "Landownership and the gender gap in agriculture: Insights from northern Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    14. Kai Thaler, 2011. "Socio-economic conditions, young men and violence in Cape Town," Research Working Papers 50, MICROCON - A Micro Level Analysis of Violent Conflict.
    15. Sofia Amaral, 2015. "Do Improved Property Rights Decrease Violence Against Women in India?," Discussion Papers 15-10, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham.
    16. Andrés Sánchez-Prada & Carmen Delgado-Alvarez & Esperanza Bosch-Fiol & Virginia Ferreiro-Basurto & Victoria A. Ferrer-Perez, 2020. "Psychosocial Implications of Supportive Attitudes towards Intimate Partner Violence against Women throughout the Lifecycle," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-20, August.
    17. Lentz, Erin C., 2018. "Complicating narratives of women’s food and nutrition insecurity: Domestic violence in rural Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 271-280.
    18. Singh, Vanita & Babbar, Karan, 2022. "Empowered but abused? A moderated mediation analysis to explore the relationship between wife's relative resources, relational empowerment and physical abuse," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    19. Pal, Sumantra, 2018. "Spousal Violence and Social Norms in India's North East," EconStor Preprints 179422, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    20. Phyllis Dako-Gyeke & Adolphina Addoley Addo-Lartey & Deda Ogum Alangea & Yandisa Sikweyiya & Esnat Dorothy Chirwa & Dorcas Coker-Appiah & Rachel Jewkes & Richard Mawuena Kofi Adanu, 2019. "'Small small quarrels bring about happiness or love in the relationships’: Exploring community perceptions and gendered norms contributing to male perpetrated intimate partner violence in the Central ," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-22, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:11:y:2021:i:2:p:21582440211021399. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.