The Impact of Non-Mandatory Police Reporting on Domestic Violence
Over the last few years, many countries have adopted policies to reduce violence against women. Most enacted measures prioritize criminal justice and require an initial report of domestic abuse to the police. This study assesses how lowering barriers for women to access public services affect domestic violence. Exploiting the temporal and geographic variation in the introduction of a non-mandatory police reporting policy, I find that this policy significantly reduced intimate partner homicides by facilitating the dissolution of abusive relations. Removing mandatory police reporting also decreased the number of victims interacting with the criminal system. This suggests that women substitute away from the official legal channels leading to a drop in the official reported crime rates. Enabling victims to leave the abusive relationship without facing burdensome legal and administrative processes can impact domestic abuse before escalating to murder.
Working paper coming soon
Over the last few years, many countries have adopted policies to reduce violence against women. Most enacted measures prioritize criminal justice and require an initial report of domestic abuse to the police. This study assesses how lowering barriers for women to access public services affect domestic violence. Exploiting the temporal and geographic variation in the introduction of a non-mandatory police reporting policy, I find that this policy significantly reduced intimate partner homicides by facilitating the dissolution of abusive relations. Removing mandatory police reporting also decreased the number of victims interacting with the criminal system. This suggests that women substitute away from the official legal channels leading to a drop in the official reported crime rates. Enabling victims to leave the abusive relationship without facing burdensome legal and administrative processes can impact domestic abuse before escalating to murder.
Working paper coming soon