Working Paper: NBER ID: w13492
Authors: Anna Aizer; Pedro Dal B
Abstract: Many violent relationships are characterized by a high degree of cyclicality: women who are the victims of domestic violence often leave and return multiple times. To explain this we develop a model of time inconsistent preferences in the context of domestic violence. This time inconsistency generates a demand for commitment. We present supporting evidence that women in violent relationships display time inconsistent preferences by examining their demand for commitment devices. We find that "no-drop" policies -- which compel the prosecutor to continue with prosecution even if the victim expresses a desire to drop the charges -- result in an increase in reporting. No-drop policies also result in a decrease in the number of men murdered by intimates suggesting that some women in violent relationships move away from an extreme type of commitment device when a less costly one is offered.
Keywords: Domestic Violence; Nodrop Policies; Time Inconsistent Preferences
JEL Codes: J12; J16; K4
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| nodrop policies (G35) | no reduction in overall domestic violence (J12) |
| nodrop policies (G35) | increase in reporting of domestic violence incidents (J12) |
| nodrop policies (G35) | decrease in intimate partner homicides (J12) |