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Method Matters: The Underreporting of Intimate Partner Violence

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  • Claire Cullen

Abstract

This paper analyzes the magnitude and predictors of misreporting on intimate partner violence. Women in Nigeria were randomly assigned to answer questions using either an indirect method (list experiment) that gives respondents anonymity, or the standard, direct face-to-face method. Intimate partner violence rates were up to 35 percent greater when measured using the list method than the direct method. Misreporting was associated with indicators often targeted in empowerment and development programs, such as education and vulnerability. These results suggest that standard survey methods may generate significant underestimates of the prevalence of intimate partner violence, and biased correlations and treatment effect estimates.

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  • Claire Cullen, 2023. "Method Matters: The Underreporting of Intimate Partner Violence," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 37(1), pages 49-73.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbecrv:v:37:y:2023:i:1:p:49-73.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/wber/lhac022
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    Cited by:

    1. von Russdorf, Sophie & Ahlborn, Laura & Hidalgo-Arestegui, Alessandra & McQuade, Gerald & Favara, Marta, 2024. "A sound methodology: Measuring experiences of violent conflict through audio self-interviews," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    2. Cullen, Claire & Sarthak, Josh & Vecci, Joseph & Talbot-Jones, Julia, 2024. "Female empowerment and male backlash: Experimental evidence from India," Working Papers in Economics 849, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    3. Bergvall, Sanna, 2024. "Women’s economic empowerment and intimate partner violence," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    4. Micaela Salcedo & Patricia Ruiz-Bravo & Nicolas Barrantes & Jhonatan Clausen, 2025. "Measuring Multidimensional Women’s Empowerment With Data From Partnered Women Across 45 Low- And Middle-Income Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 1093-1119, February.
    5. Leng,Alyssa Amanda & Tandon,Sharad Alan, 2024. "Do Disasters Always Increase Intimate Partner Violence ? Evidence from the 2018 Earthquake in Papua New Guinea," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10799, The World Bank.

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