Enhancing Women's Choices in Responding to Domestic Violence in Calcutta: A Comparison of Employment and Education

Abstract

Employment is often seen as a key factor in women's empowerment so that employed women might be expected to be less vulnerable to domestic violence or, if they experience such abuse, to be more ready to resist than women who are not employed. Drawing on data collected from women in Calcutta, this article concludes that employment alone did not enhance resistance nor lead to an effective resolution of violence. Instead, education and social networks appeared to be more central.