Abstract
Why is violence against women treated more seriously by some countries than others? This paper answers this question by examining the relationship between the representation of women in the legislature and the criminalization, enforcement, and perceived societal safety concerning violence against women. Using a dataset based on the U.S. State Department’s 2016 human rights reports, this study shows that when controlling for factors such as regime type or economic development, having more women in the legislature increases the rates of criminalization of violence against women, but has no effect on the enforcement of laws or the general safety of women from violence. The discussion of findings includes their implications for the incorporation of women in politics and for the safety of women who face violence.
How to Cite
Guerguerian, A., (2018) “Does Identity Matter? The Effect of Female Representation in the National Legislature on Violence Against Women”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 31(1).
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