LAUSR

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of economic violence against women, specifically in formal sector micro-firms managed by women in Peru, a key Latin American emerging market. Additionally, the authors have identified the demographic characteristics of the micro-firms, financing and credit associated with women who suffer economic violence. Design/methodology/approach In this study, a structured questionnaire was administered to a representative sample nationwide (357 female micro-entrepreneurs). Findings The authors found that 22.2 percent of female micro-entrepreneurs have been affected by economic violence at some point in their lives, while at the same time 25 percent of respondents have been forced by their partner to obtain credit against their will. Lower education level, living with one’s partner, having children, business location in the home, lower income, not having access to credit, not applying credit to working capital needs, late payments and being forced to obtain credit against one’s will were all factors associated with economic violence. Furthermore, the results showed a significant correlation between suffering economic violence and being a victim of other types of violence (including psychological, physical or sexual); the highest correlation was with serious physical violence (r=0.523, p<0.01). Research limitations/implications A limitation of this study is that the authors measured economic violence only in terms of misappropriation or theft of funds from the business, but not in terms of exacting control over economic resources, which can be a way of depriving the micro-entrepreneur of her autonomy in the management of the business. Practical implications The authors hope that the findings and conclusions reported here might open a renewed debate among academia, financial service providers, micro-firms, civil society and the public sector, providing a conceptual framework and a starting point to design effective, integrated and inter-sectoral prevention efforts. Social implications The authors recommend that efforts to reduce intimate partner violence be strengthened, taking into account the issue of gender inequality. It is not sufficient that social policy solely be designed to eliminate violence. Originality/value Previous research on gender violence has tended to examine the nature and causes of psychological, physical and sexual violence; this study, however, intends to contribute to the understanding of economic gender violence in the context of formal sector small business in a Latin American emerging market.