Forthcoming chapter in *Pathways to Sustainable Development: Implementing the Pact for the Future*, edited by N. Kakar & A. Shostya, Edward Elgar Publishing.
Nov 2025
The increasing frequency of extreme weather events poses significant socioeconomic challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations in developing countries. This paper investigates the impact of temperature shocks on intimate partner violence (IPV) using individual-level data from the 2008 Bolivian Demographic and Health Survey matched with high-resolution daily climate data. Employing a temperature binning approach, I find substantial heterogeneous effects by altitude: in low-altitude areas, ten additional days of extreme cold (< 21 ℃) or extreme heat (≥ 33 ℃) significantly increase IPV incidence by 3.6 and 2.2 percentage points, respectively, while moderate cold temperatures ([21, 23) ℃) reduce IPV incidence. Moreover, cold shocks increase IPV through heightened male alcohol consumption and income instability, particularly in rural and indigenous communities, while hot shocks reduce women’s employment in urban, non-indigenous households. Overall, the results demonstrate that the effects of temperature shocks are highly contextual and heterogeneous, underscoring the need for climate adaptation policies that are sensitive to socioeconomic status and gender so that they can contribute to the broader goal of reducing violence against women.
May 2025
This paper empirically examines how socioeconomic status (SES) shapes intimate partner violence (IPV) incidence in Latin America. Using Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data, I provide an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms linking SES and IPV, and highlight pathways for targeted interventions and policy design to better support women at risk.
Jan 2024