Economic independence reduces risk of physical violence during separation

The separation process between couples can often lead to an increased chance of domestic violence. But within those cases, the risks become even more acute when measured for economic independence.

That’s according to a new study co-authored by Hertie School Professor of Sociology Michaela Kreyenfeld, which finds that economic independence significantly lowers women’s risk of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) during the separation process.

The paper, published in PLOS ONE, is the first to focus specifically on violence during the critical transition of separation rather than before or after it, using longitudinal data from the German Family Panel (pairfam).

The study, which Kreyenfeld co-authored with Stefania Molina (Hertie School/Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) and Lena Wagner (Einstein Center Population Diversity), examines nearly 800 observations of separated women in Germany between 2009 and 2022. It identifies key sociodemographic factors, such as employment, education and parenthood status, that influence the likelihood of experiencing IPV during separation. Most notably, mothers with minor children who are unemployed and have a lower level of education face dramatically elevated risks of violence during this vulnerable period.

Unemployment and lower level of education significantly raises risk of violence

IPV encompasses a range of behaviours within intimate relationships that profoundly impact the well-being of victims and survivors. It manifests in forms such as physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behaviours by current or former intimate partners. While affecting individuals of all genders, empirical evidence highlights women’s disproportionate representation among victims.

“Our findings show that economic independence isn’t just empowering, it’s protective.” – Michaela Kreyenfeld, Professor of Sociology          

This latest study finds that 17% of separated women in the sample reported experiencing physical IPV in the year leading up to separation.  For women with less than post-secondary education, the risk of suffering physical violence was nearly 150%. Non-employment was also shown to be a major risk factor: non-employed women were around 70% more likely to suffer violence than women who were employed.

The risk is even more acute when these vulnerabilities intersect. Among mothers who were both unemployed and had a low level of education, the predicted probability of experiencing physical IPV during separation surged to 32%, nearly double the rate of employed mothers with a similar educational background.

“Nearly one in five mothers in Germany experience intimate partner violence during separation,” said Kreyenfeld. “What’s more, our findings show that economic independence isn’t just empowering, it’s protective.”

The research also sheds light on regional disparities. West German mothers were found to be at a significantly higher risk of IPV (23%) during separation compared to their East German counterparts (15%), a gap the authors attribute to more conservative gender roles and less supportive childcare infrastructure in the West.

Preventing violence through policy

Importantly, the study uses panel data to assess women’s employment status before separation, helping to address the common issue of reverse causality in IPV research. Nevertheless, the authors caution that their findings pertain specifically to women who were able to leave a relationship, and may not be generalisable to all victims of IPV.

The study calls for policies that promote women’s labour market integration, especially through affordable childcare and support for maternal employment as a pathway to reducing IPV. While recent reforms in Germany have aimed to support working mothers, the authors argue that austerity measures and childcare shortages risk undermining these gains.

About the study

The study, titled “Women's economic independence and physical intimate partner violence (IPV) during separation”, was authored by Stefania Molina, Lena Wagner and Michaela Kreyenfeld. It was published in the journal PLOS ONE on 20 June 2025. Read the full article here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0326529

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