Protected by knowledge and empowered by work?: Education, employment, and intimate partner violence in Senegal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18559/rielf.2026.1.4185Keywords:
Senegal, Intimate partner violence, education gap, employment statusAbstract
Purpose: This article investigates the potential role of education and employment in preventing domestic violence in Senegal. Following an examination of socioeconomic factors, the study delves into how differences in educational attainment and job status within couples impact intimate partner violence.
Design/methodology/approach: Using data from the 2019 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), logistic regression analysis is adopted.
Findings: The result reveal that women’s education and professional occupation serve as protective factors against intimate partner violence (IPV). Furthermore, the likelihood of experiencing emotional, physical, or sexual violence decreases when women have higher levels of education than their husbands or when they are employed.
Originality/value: These findings underscore the importance of policies aimed at enhancing human capital through education and active labor market initiatives to mitigate partner violence.
JEL Classification
Analysis of Education (I21)
General Welfare, Well-Being (I31)
Marriage • Marital Dissolution • Family Structure • Domestic Abuse (J12)
Economics of Gender • Non-labor Discrimination (J16)
Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure (J21)
Human Capital • Skills • Occupational Choice • Labor Productivity (J24)
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