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Trinity Impact Evaluation Unit (TIME)

You are here Research > Gender > Intimate Partner Violence and Seasonal Migration

The Effects of Seasonal Migration on Intimate Partner Violence

bangladash_women

  • Researchers:

    • Alejandra Ramos

  • Partners:

    • IPA Bangladesh,Evidence Action, RDRS.

  • Location:

    • Bangladesh

  • Sample:

    • 2,848 female

  • Timeline:

    • 2017-2018

  • Theme:

    • Intimate partner violence and seasonal migration

  • Description:

    • This project studies the effects of seasonal migration incentives on intimate partner violence. To address the net effect of migration on violence, we collected data on intimate partner violence among the female respondents of the Evidence Action’s No Lean Season intervention endline survey of 2017. Our results indicate that 76 percent of these women have experienced violence by hands of an intimate partner during their lifetime. Almost one of every two women has been physically or sexually abused by her partner in the last six months, and in three of every four cases, the events occurred more than once. Our analysis suggests that migration incentives help to reduce violence as women of households receiving the migration loans are less likely to experience physical or sexual violence in the last six months. Violence, however, is higher in villages that did not receive the migration incentive but are surrounded by villages that received it. We hypothesize this increase is explained by the fact that, when the male head is less likely to migrate, the woman spends more time with her preparator. Overall, our evidence suggests that seasonal migration has the potential of improving well-being by providing women with periods of reduced violence throughout the year. Nonetheless, such improvements occur through a rather mechanical effect of reduced exposure. Whether or not violence returns to its original levels once the migration episode ends is still an empirical issue.