Economic violence includes creating or attempting to create financial dependence on a person by controlling their financial resources, preventing access to money, income discrimination, etc. Work can be defined as performing tasks that involve mental and physical effort and its goal is to produce goods and services that meet human needs. Domestic violence against women is a global issue and is observable in most societies; although women can also perpetrate violence against men, various studies show that women are eight times more likely to experience violence from their spouses. This report will examine several important issues, the most significant of which is the economic status of the family and its relationship to violence against women. Another issue is violence against women in terms of wage discrimination and unpaid work. The 2006 United Nations report states that income inequalities related to gender discrimination in areas such as employment, income, access to economic resources, or lack of economic independence reduce women’s ability to act and make decisions, and increase their vulnerability to violence. The 2011 Council of Europe

Factors such as poverty, unemployment, lack of women’s economic participation, economic dependence, and gender discrimination that challenge women’s independence, and hidden structural discrimination and gender gap within patriarchal systems in many societies, increase gender-based violence in communities; in fact, many men attribute their economic problems to their wives and children, unreasonable expectations from their spouses, lack of understanding of their economic situation by their spouses and children, and ultimately their inability to overcome crises, which they have become trapped in due to marriage, and this becomes the basis for violence against women in the family. Some men become so frustrated and desperate in the face of these problems that they commit suicide or send their wives and children to death, seeking revenge from themselves and their loved ones. Why is the tip of the spear of men’s aggressive behavior in society directed towards women and children and not other things? Meanwhile, the root cause of men’s sense of failure in economic issues is hidden, and women and children not only have the smallest role

One of the types of violent behavior of husbands against their wives is economic violence. The various forms of social, cultural, and economic capital that an individual possesses can be considered as important and influential factors in the occurrence or prevention of violence against women in its various forms. In relation to violence against women, it can be said that the way in which access to various forms of capital leads to the formation of habits and behavioral tendencies specific to violent situations, which in turn manifests in the violent social interactions of individuals. The types of capital that an individual possesses lay the foundation for the formation of various social relationships between different social groups. The individual’s family relationships are also influenced by their possession of various forms of capital; more specifically, their possession of economic capital affects the relationship between husband and wife and can solve many of the couple’s social problems. It may seem that individuals with higher economic capital exert the least amount of economic violence against their spouses. In a closer look, it can be said that economic problems

The World Bank estimated in 2019 that in some countries, 3.7% of the gross domestic product is affected by economic violence against women and girls; a cost that is more than twice the budget allocated by governments for education. Research in Australia shows that women with depression earn on average $417 less per week than their counterparts. In addition to income disparities, studies show that the rate of depression among women who use private insurance services is 24% lower than other women. The prevalence of the coronavirus has increased the unemployment rate for women more than other groups, and this group has been more affected by the coronavirus.

Economic violence against women in the family and in the relationship between husband and wife can be considered one of the most common forms of economic violence. This type of violence, which can be overt or covert, not only has consequences for women as victims, but also has consequences for men; because in such situations, men are under more financial pressure. Women’s unemployment means double the work for men to cover living expenses. When a man deprives other family members of economic activity, he also bears more stress; because he has to earn more income and spend less time with his family; as a result, it also has a negative impact on his relationships with family members. There is a wrong culture in which housework is considered against employment. Many women are engaged in domestic work and essentially domestic work is unpaid. In this situation, women are dependent on men. In the case of divorce, women suffer the most, as they do not have insurance or savings, but men are insured for work outside the

Notes:

1- Kanaani, Mohammad Amin, et al. “Types of Capital (Economic, Social, and Cultural) and their Relationship with Domestic Violence against Women.” Iranian Journal of Social Sciences Studies, vol. 10, no. 33, Winter 1392.

2- Esteemed Siahpoosh, Es-haq, and others, examining the social-economic factors influencing violence against women in the city of Ahvaz, Sociological Journal, Year 1, Issue 3, Winter 1389.

3- Amani, Elahe, Observations on the Economic-Social Burden of Violence Against Women, Peace Line Magazine, 12th year, issue 226, November 1400.

4- Does low income cause depression in women?, Berna News Agency, 22 November 2021.

5- Gender Discrimination in the Iranian Job Market, EcoIran, 21 Aban 1400.

6- Frequently Asked Questions: Types of Violence Against Women and Girls, United Nations Website, November 25, 2020.