We’re thrilled to share that our research is featured on VoxDev with our new blog, “Exposure to collective gender-based violence causes intimate partner violence“. The blog is based on ISDC Director Tilman Brück and Behavior Research Program Wolfgang Stojetz‘ 2023 article in the Journal of Development Economics, studying some of the long-term consequences of the Angolan civil war.
The piece features several key insights:
- Enduring Impact: Wartime sexual violence correlates with lasting post-war intimate partner violence, persisting over a decade later.
- Causal Connection: Using a unique natural experiment in Huambo province, we establish a clear link between wartime experiences and contemporary IPV.
- Self-Control Challenge: Our research challenges traditional explanations, pinpointing a prolonged reduction in self-control skills as a driving factor for increased IPV.
- Expressive Behavior: Surprisingly, IPV appears more expressive than conformity-driven, paving the way for innovative intervention strategies.
Overall, the study underscores the need for holistic interventions addressing both victims and perpetrators, with a focus on psychological legacies.
In developing countries, policies aimed at reducing rates of IPV have predominantly been victim-centered. Our findings emphasize the need for also paying attention to perpetrators and the factors internal to them that precipitate violent acts, especially in post-conflict countries.
