Defining Power and Agency in Gender Relations in El Salvador: Consequences for Intimate Partner Violence and Women's Mental Health.

ABSTRACT: Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects thousands of women around the world and is prevalent in the Global South. Unequal social structures perpetuate hierarchies and maintain women's vulnerability to violence. Difficulties women face in accessing education, economic resources, and employment diminish their power in intimate relationships, increasing the likelihood of IPV. These factors can also have a significant effect on women's mental health. However, some studies show that economic empowerment does not necessarily translate into greater agency for women if they cannot use the resources they earn to pursue whatever goals or values they regard as important in life. Agency is women's ability to identify their life goals and act upon them through critical evaluation (intrinsic agency) and

SUBMITTER: Navarro-Mantas L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9063008 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature