Working to Advance
Health Equity in Africa

Economic costs of domestic violence: a community study in South Africa

Economic costs of domestic violence:  a community study in South Africa

The present study estimated economic costs of domestic violence against women who sought help from a community care centre in South Africa. It aimed to relate the victims’ income and victims” family income to violence related injuries and related costs. This was a cross sectional study with face-to-face interviews in a community care center in which victims of domestic violence sought various kinds of assistance. In total, 261 women were interviewed. The average economic cost of each domestic violence incidence was 691 USD while average cost for medical expenditure was 29 USD and average loss of income due to domestic violence was 2092 USD. Larger families and higher individual and family incomes were protective factors for severity of violence relate injuries. Pain and discomfort due to domestic violence emerged as expensive for both medical cost and productivity losses. Considering the average monthly income of 482 USD, domestic violence averaged a cost per incident of 691 USD during the previous month, indicating a deficit in household budget. We found that domestic violence against women resulted with expensive injuries pain and discomforts.