Prevent sexual violence: Strategies focused on the economic environment

Strategies focusing on the economic environment aim to improve living conditions and strengthen the economic independence of women and families through measures targeting income, education, working conditions, and housing.

Economic environment: Examples of factors and prevention strategies

Examples of factors related to the economic environment

Factors that contribute to violence

  • Economic and income inequality
  • Socioeconomic disadvantage
  • Poor housing conditions

Factors that contribute to reducing violence

  • Women’s economic independence

Examples of prevention strategies 

Improving the living conditions and socioeconomic situation of women and families

Strategies that address the living and socioeconomic conditions of women and families can help prevent sexual violence, particularly by reducing social inequalities in health 1–5.

Specifically, these strategies aim to improve families’ living conditions and strengthen women’s social and economic independence through measures that address their education, employability, and income. These measures are designed to counter the development of conditions identified as factors associated with the risk of sexual violence. These include economic inequalities between men and women, such as income inequalities and lack of economic opportunities for women, socioeconomic disadvantage, and poor housing conditions, such as overcrowding and unsanitary conditions4,6–10.

Equitable access to the job market and comparable wages for women and men, as well as access to paid family and medical leave, are examples of measures that can improve socioeconomic conditions. Other measures include income assistance and access to affordable, quality childcare2,6,7. These measures can both counteract the development of certain risk factors associated with sexual violence and reinforce factors that protect against such violence, such as gender equality and women’s economic independence2,6,7.

References

  1. Miele, C., A. Maquigneau, C. C. Joyal, I. Bertsch, O. Gangi, H. Gonthier, C. Rawlinson, S. Vigourt-Oudart, E. Symphorien, A. Heasman, E. Letourneau, A.-H. Moncany et M. Lacambre (2023). « International guidelines for the prevention of sexual violence: A systematic review and perspective of WHO, UN Women, UNESCO, and UNICEF’s publications », Child Abuse & Neglect, vol. 146, p. 1‑25.
  2. Eggers Del Campo, I., et J. I. Steinert (2022). « The Effect of Female Economic Empowerment Interventions on the Risk of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis », Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, vol. 23, n° 3, p. 810‑826.
  3. World Health Organization (2020). Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020, [en ligne], Geneva, World Health Organization, <https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/332394/9789240004191-eng.pd…; (consulté le 4 juin 2025).
  4. Prevention Institute et National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2021). A Health Equity Approach to Preventing Sexual Violence, [en ligne], Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/health_equity_approac…; (consulté le 18 août 2025).
  5. Centre de collaboration nationale des déterminants de la santé (2024). Déterminants de la santé : Parlons-en, [en ligne], Antigonish, N.-É., Centre de collaboration nationale des déterminants de la santé et Université St. Francis Xavier, <https://nccdh.ca/images/uploads/CCNDS_Lets_talk_Determinants_of_health_…; (consulté le 8 juillet 2025).
  6. Basile, K. C., S. DeGue, K. Jones, K. Freire, J. Dills, S. G. Smith et J. L. Raifort (2016). Sexual Violence Prevention Resource for Action: A Compilation of the Best Available Evidence, [en ligne], Atlanta, GA, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <https://www.cdc.gov/violence-prevention/media/pdf/resources-for-action/…; (consulté le 3 mars 2025).
  7. LeSuer, W. (2022). « The Impact of National-Level Gender Inequality on the Sexual Abuse of Girls », Violence against women, vol. 28, n° 3‑4, p. 691‑710.
  8. World Health Organization (2014). Global status report on violence prevention 2014, [en ligne], World Health Organization, <https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789241564793&gt; (consulté le 31 janvier 2024).
  9. Cant, R. L., M. O’Donnell, S. Sims et M. Harries (2019). « Overcrowded housing: One of a constellation of vulnerabilities for child sexual abuse », Child abuse & neglect, vol. 93, p. 239‑248.
  10. De Schrijver, L., E. Fomenko, B. Krahe, K. Roelens, T. Vander Beken et I. Keygnaert (2022). « Minority Identity, Othering-Based Stress, and Sexual Violence », International journal of environmental research and public health, vol. 19, n° 7.

Author: Maude Lachapelle, Scientific Advisor, INSPQ
Contributor: Anne-Sophie Ponsot, Scientific Advisor, INSPQ
External review: Larissa Ouedraogo, M.Sc., Planning, Programming and Research Agent, Regional Public Health Department, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
Geneviève Paquette, Ph. D., Full Professor, Department of Psychoeducation, Université de Sherbrooke
Jacinthe Dion, Ph. D., Professor, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

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