Unemployment Doesn’t Justify Violence against Women

When my husband and I first moved to the United States, we were both unemployed. Our families back home were mostly worried about my husband’s unemployment and whenever I spoke to those close to me, they would ask me how my husband was coping with unemployment. They would wonder whether he would become impatient and angry. No one ever asked how I was dealing with it. That was because they automatically assumed that I would be able to assimilate to life as a mother and a housewife. Honestly, it was not an easy transition for me to go from being a full-time employee to a full-time mother. Does it mean I should have lost my temper every day? Their inquiries did not make sense to me until a good friend shared how her husband had become more abusive and violent since he had lost his job.

Studies have shown that unemployment can contribute to increased rates of violence at home. According to a report by the World Bank, 1 percent increase in male unemployment rate is associated with a 2.75 percent increase in the incidences of physical intimate partner violence. The traditional gender roles in our society present the role of men as the sole breadwinners, and this role translates into ownership, power and control. When men are deprived of this role by the loss of their job, those with abusive tendencies exert control over their wives through physical, mental and other forms of abuse.

Data on families affected by the recession that hit the US in 2008-2009 has shown direct association between economic stress and domestic violence. The U.S. witnessed one of its highest levels of unemployment during the recession. Many households’ financial status was adversely affected. A study from the National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women on the families impacted by the recession indicated that “among couples who report subjectively feeling high levels of financial strain domestic violence rate is 9.5% compared with 2.7% for couples who report subjectively feeling low levels of financial strain.”

Unemployment can cause mental stress and depression in anyone. Psychologists and sociologists have studied the direct link between unemployment and mental health and several studies have shown that unemployment brings a sense of “helplessness” and “self-doubt” to an individual as they no longer feel control over their lives or they are no longer able to help their family. When these feelings are prolonged, a person may suffer from depression. Unemployment can be highly destructive psychologically and emotionally for those who shoulder greater financial responsibilities. Yet, when faced with unemployment, it’s mostly men who commit acts of violence and not women. It’s clear that unemployment doesn’t cause or justify violence, rather the violence is an indicator of a wider problem with toxic masculinity and men not having the tools to deal with stress and depression, among other feelings, in healthy ways. For abusive men, unemployment might be a trigger, but it’s not the root cause of their abusive behaviors. 

Unfortunately, I’ve seen several instances where women have accepted unemployment as an excusable reason for their husband’s violent behavior. “It is not his fault. He has lost his job. Things will get better once he gets a job,” one woman told me about her husband. Statements such as these only minimize the women’s experience in their tragic reality whilst further promoting men’s dominance. This is further exacerbated when other family members convince the woman to accept their husband’s abusive behavior and be extra cautious of their own actions so as not to stir anger in their husband, creating an atmosphere of fear in our households and community. 

COVID-19 has left more than 101,000 dead and at least 1.6 million infected globally. The pandemic has toppled major economies and left millions and millions unemployed around the world. In addition to the economic and health impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak, we must also keep in mind its social impacts, especially on marginalized populations. Reports of increase in violence against women at home have emerged from many countries around the world as the virus continues to spread. In China, the number of domestic violence cases reported to the local police tripled in February compared to the previous year. The threat of intimate partner violence is more compounded in countries like Afghanistan that are already traumatized by war and poverty and women face an ineffective and unjust legal system. The restricted mobility caused by the  imposed lock down leaves victims stuck with their abusers. Social distancing isolates victims from their family members and friends, trapping them in an endless cycle. It is a critical time to speak out more about gender-based violence and make it a part of the COVID-19 conversation.