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Gendered language and gendered violence

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  • Davis, Lewis
  • Mavisakalyan, Astghik
  • Weber, Clas

Abstract

This study establishes the influence of sex-based grammatical gender on gendered violence. We demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between speaking a gendered language and the incidence of intimate partner violence in a cross-section of countries. Motivated by this evidence, we conduct an individual-level analysis of the effect of speaking a gendered language on beliefs about the justifiability of intimate partner violence, controlling for a wide variety of individual level socioeconomic characteristics as well as country, religion, language family and ethnicity fixed effects. Speaking a gendered language is associated with the belief that intimate partner violence is justifiable. Our results are consistent with complementarity between the cultural and cognitive effects of language on the attitudes to intimate partner violence.

Suggested Citation

  • Davis, Lewis & Mavisakalyan, Astghik & Weber, Clas, 2024. "Gendered language and gendered violence," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 755-772.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:52:y:2024:i:4:p:755-772
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2024.08.008
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender-based violence; Intimate partner violence; Sex-based grammar; Gendered language; Gender norms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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