Families and Exposure to Violence: Evidence from Social Policy and Institutional Interventions

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and domestic violence (DV) remain pervasive public health and social policy challenges, with far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities. This panel brings together four complementary studies that examine how economic policies, criminal justice interventions, and social programs shape family stability and exposure to violence. Collectively, the papers highlight both intended and unintended consequences of public policies, emphasizing the complex ways in which institutional interventions influence household dynamics and safety.The first paper, by Lindsey Bullinger and Georgina Maku Cobla, evaluates the impact of pandemic-era unconditional cash transfers in the United States—specifically the Economic Impact Payments (EIP) and Advance Child Tax Credit (CTC)—on IPV. Using a difference-in-differences design and data from the National Crime Victimization Survey, the authors find that increases in transfer payments led to a measurable rise in physical IPV, with particularly pronounced effects among Black women, unmarried women, and women aged 30–40.The second paper, by Kaitlyn Sims and Jacob Harris, examines how misdemeanor convictions affect long-term family stability. Leveraging a randomized judge assignment design in Tampa Bay, Florida, and linking criminal sentencing data to U.S. Census records, the study estimates the causal impact of convictions on relationship persistence, cohabitation, and parent-child co-residence.The third paper, by Avanti Adhia and coauthors, explores the implementation of paid family and medical leave (PFML) policies as a tool to support DV survivors. Drawing on qualitative interviews with state program staff and service providers in Washington and Oregon, the study identifies key barriers and facilitators to PFML use, including administrative challenges, privacy concerns, and gaps in awareness.The fourth paper, by Alice Ellyson and coauthors, evaluates the health impacts of dedicated units that facilitate firearm relinquishment among individuals subject to domestic violence protection orders (DVPOs). Using a quasi-experimental design and longitudinal data from Washington State, the study assesses whether these units reduce serious injury and mortality among protected individuals.Together, these papers provide a multifaceted perspective on how policies aimed at economic support, criminal justice, workplace protections, and firearm regulation intersect with family dynamics and violence exposure. The panel underscores the importance of designing and implementing policies that promote both economic security and personal safety.

Policy Area

• Crime, Justice, and Drugs

Chair

• Lindsey Rose Bullinger, Georgia Institute of Technology

Discussant

• Danielle Sobol, University of California, Davis

Individual Presentations

• The Effect of Unconditional Transfer Payment on Intimate Partner Violence - Presenting Author: Georgina Maku Cobla, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Implementation of state paid leave policies for addressing domestic violence - Non-Presenting Co-Author: Avanti Adhia, University of Washington; Presenting Author: Heather D Hill, University of Washington

• Health effects of dedicated units facilitating firearm relinquishment as part of civil domestic violence protection orders - Presenting Author: Alice M Ellyson, University of Washington

• Effect of Employment Protection on Domestic Violence - Presenting Author: Devika Hazra, California State University, Los Angeles

Organizer

• Georgina Maku Cobla, Georgia Institute of Technology