Role of education in preventing domestic violence

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between female education and domestic violence, utilizing a change in compulsory schooling law. We employ regression discontinuity design and instrumental variable estimation method to analyze the effect of the policy. The years of schooling for women has increased by a half-year. We find that increased years of schooling is accompanied by a decline in sexual violence and physical violence, while psychological violence, social control behavior and financial control behavior from partners remain unchanged. Among the underlying channels through which education translates into domestic violence, improvements in the marriage market seem dominant. Better educated women are found to be less likely to divorce and more likely to exercise their own marriage decision, and marry men with better socio-economic status. Women’s gender attitudes have improved, while labor market outcomes remain unchanged.