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Domestic Violence Reports and the Mental Health and Well-Being of Victims and Their Children

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  • Manudeep Bhuller
  • Gordon B. Dahl
  • Katrine V. Løken
  • Magne Mogstad

Abstract

We study the costs associated with domestic violence (DV) in Norway by comparing outcomes before and after a DV report, using those who will be victimized in the future as controls. A DV report is associated with increased mental health diagnoses for both victims and their children and reduced financial resources. Victims experience marital dissolution, more doctor visits, lower employment, reduced earnings, and higher use of disability insurance. Their children are more likely to receive child protective services and commit a crime. Using a complementary regression discontinuity (RD) design, we find declines in children’s test scores and grade completion.

Suggested Citation

  • Manudeep Bhuller & Gordon B. Dahl & Katrine V. Løken & Magne Mogstad, 2024. "Domestic Violence Reports and the Mental Health and Well-Being of Victims and Their Children," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 59(S), pages 152-186.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:59:y:2024:i:s:p:s152-s186
    Note: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1222-12698R1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eika, Lasse & Mogstad, Magne & Vestad, Ola L., 2020. "What can we learn about household consumption expenditure from data on income and assets?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    2. Scott E. Carrell & Mark L. Hoekstra, 2010. "Externalities in the Classroom: How Children Exposed to Domestic Violence Affect Everyone's Kids," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(1), pages 211-228, January.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Randi Hjalmarsson & Stephen Machin & Paolo Pinotti, 2024. "Crime and the labor market," CEP Discussion Papers dp2044, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Dan Anderberg & Line Hjorth Andersen & N. Meltem Daysal & Mette Ejrnæs, 2025. "Parental leave and intimate partner violence," IFS Working Papers W25/43, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    3. Dan Anderberg & Line Hjorth Andersen & N.Meltem Daysal & Mette Ejrnaes, 2025. "Parental Leave and Intimate Partner Violence," CEBI working paper series 25-12, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    4. Roeckert, Julian & Krähnert, Kati & Hoffmann, Roman, 2024. "Extreme weather events and violence against children," Ruhr Economic Papers 1094, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    5. Kroeger, Sarah & La Mattina, Giulia, 2024. "Nuisance Ordinances and Domestic Violence," IZA Discussion Papers 17565, IZA Network @ LISER.
    6. Dan Anderberg & Line Hjorth Andersen & N. Meltem Daysal & Mette Ejrnæs, 2025. "Parental Leave and Intimate Partner Violence," CESifo Working Paper Series 12189, CESifo.
    7. Le, Dung Duc & Giang, Long Thanh, 2025. "The intergenerational effects of intimate partner violence on child development," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    8. Brewer, Mike & Dang, Thang & Tominey, Emma, 2024. "Universal Credit: Welfare reform and mental health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Saha, Kajari, 2025. "Weathering Violence in India: Climate Shocks, Spousal Abuse and Potential Mediating Factors," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 360945, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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