This report challenges assumptions about violence against women and highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the economic dimensions of domestic violence. It concludes with a call for further research into women’s creativity and determination in economic resilience post-separation.
The report consists of primary data collected in three districts in the country – Baucau, Covalima and Dili – representing a spectrum of social norms and access to service provision. This is complemented by an analysis of existing survey data and a literature review. The report focuses on four areas: economic dynamics within marriage; impact of marriage and separation in abuse cases; how abused women engage with service providers; and how abused women approach the justice process.
The gendered structure of Timor-Leste’s economy, which reduces a woman’s level of mobility, is a significant factor in women’s decision-making when in abusive relationships. However, the report challenges prevailing assumptions around the ability of women to support their families post-separation, the role cultural tradition plays in these relationships, and any attempt to establish a simple cause and effect relationship between poverty and violence.
Key findings/insights:
- Limited access to services and limited long-term support intensify the containment of women to a domestic sphere and reduce women’s bargaining position within a relationship where abuse is occurring.
- The creativity and determination shown in identifying and engaging in a wide variety of income-generation activities should not be overlooked
- Further research is needed into women’s economic resilience post-separation.
