The impact of sexual violence on female labour force participation: The case of Hurungwe and Zvimba Districts, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Sexual violence is a serious public health and human rights issue with both short- and long-term psychological and physical consequences on women and their decision to work. However, scant scholarly literature examines the relationship between sexual violence and female labour force participation (FLFP). Using evidence from a survey with 301 economically active women in Zvimba and Hurungwe districts, the binomial logit results revealed that education and sexual violence experienced in the past 12 months preceding the survey had a positive influence on FLFP while lifetime experience of sexual violence had a negative impact on FLFP. The results imply that educational attainment increases the chances that one will be participating in the labour market and that women who experienced sexual violence in the past 12 months would go to work as an economic adaptation strategy against poverty and further violation while those with lifetime experiences avoid work due to psychological and physical effects of the crime. The study recommends using awareness programs to educate communities about the consequences of sexual violence, available services, and survivors’ futures. The government should introduce policies that promote greater access to higher levels of education by women in Zimbabwe.

Keywords

• Sexual violence
• labour force participation
• education
• health
• crime
• Zimbabwe