Women's abuse experiences in Jordan: A comparative study using rural and urban classifications

Women's economic abuse is a global pandemic, stemming from gender inequality and patriarchal structures that limit women's economic empowerment. Economic abuse is defined as intentional control over a partner's economic resources, hindering their ability to acquire, use, and maintain them. This includes controlling money, property, education, and employment, ultimately creating financial dependence. Economic abuse is often intertwined with other forms of intimate partner violence (IPV), including psychological, emotional, and physical abuse. In Jordan, despite legal protections and conventions against discrimination, societal barriers persist, rooted in deeply entrenched gender roles that prioritize women's reproductive responsibilities and limit their economic participation. High rates of violence against women in Jordan highlight the need to understand the prevalence and patterns of economic abuse within this context. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and patterns of economic abuse among working married women in Jordan, comparing experiences between rural and urban areas and identifying associated forms of abuse.

Existing literature categorizes economic control into preventing resource acquisition, preventing resource use, and exploiting existing resources. Studies highlight the various ways in which men economically abuse women and girls, including limiting access to funds, credit, healthcare, employment, and education; discriminatory inheritance laws; withholding funds for necessities; exclusion from financial decisions; and damage to property. Furthermore, literature underscores the devastating consequences of economic abuse, resulting in social inequality, marginalization, poverty, and limited opportunities. The cycle of poverty forces women into precarious situations, such as sexual exploitation, to meet basic needs, incurring debt and jeopardizing their health and safety. Long-term consequences of emotional and psychological abuse include health deterioration and diminished self-confidence, affecting work productivity and overall well-being. Economic abuse can trap women in abusive relationships due to financial dependence, prolonging their exposure to risk. While literature on other types of violence against women in Jordan is prevalent, research specifically addressing economic abuse is limited. This gap in knowledge motivated the current study, which seeks to fill this gap by investigating the phenomenon in a Jordanian context.

This study employed a quantitative approach using a descriptive comparative design. A random sample of 500 working married women aged 20 and older was selected from both rural and urban areas in Amman, Jordan, using a four-stage sampling process based on Jordanian Department of Statistics data. The Scale of Economic Abuse (SEA), Profile of Psychological Abuse of Women (PPAW), and Community Composite Abuse Scale (CCAS) were used to measure economic abuse (control and exploitation), psychological abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and harassment. Participants rated items on a five-point Likert scale. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient, and independent samples t-tests using SPSS Statistics 22.0. The reliability of the SEA scale was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and data normality was checked using skewness coefficients.

The study found that 55.5% of urban and 44.5% of rural women experienced economic abuse. Urban women reported significantly higher rates of economic abuse (M = 2.7640, SD = 1.1029) compared to rural women (M = 2.2467, SD = 1.0069), a statistically significant difference (t(493.924) = 5.477, p < 0.05). Economic abuse was strongly correlated with other forms of abuse, with emotional and psychological abuse being most prevalent, followed by physical abuse and harassment. Specific forms of abuse included partners expressing frustration when women sought emotional support, resentment towards incomplete housework, verbal insults, and physical actions such as shaking or slapping. Workplace harassment through repeated phone calls was also reported by both rural and urban women. Urban women had higher educational levels and incomes than rural women, which may be partially attributed to the higher rates of economic abuse and its interconnectedness with other types of abuse.

The findings indicate that despite legal protections, patriarchal power dynamics continue to dominate in both urban and rural Jordanian contexts. Economic control emerged as a common form of economic abuse, often employing indirect methods to circumvent legal protections. The higher rates of economic abuse among urban women, contrary to expectations, may be attributed to higher incomes and education levels. While education empowers women, it might also increase the perception of them as competitors, leading to increased abuse. The strong correlation between economic abuse and other forms of abuse underscores the use of various tactics to maintain control. Emotional abuse is particularly relevant, acting as a tool for coercive control and frequently preceding physical abuse. While previous research suggests similar rates of IPV across rural and urban areas, this study highlights nuances in the types and prevalence of specific abuse experienced. Socio-cultural norms that tolerate and perpetuate violence contribute significantly to the problem. In Jordan, legal, social, cultural, and religious factors enhance economic dependence and control, placing women in a vulnerable position.

This study reveals the pervasive nature of economic abuse and its connection to other forms of abuse among Jordanian women. While urban women show a higher rate of economic abuse, both urban and rural women experience significant levels of interconnected abuse reflecting persistent patriarchal structures. Future research should expand geographically to encompass more of Jordan, incorporate additional variables (kinship, religion, employment type), and explore the consequences of economic abuse more thoroughly to develop comprehensive interventions. Addressing economic abuse necessitates tackling deeply ingrained social and cultural norms that perpetuate gender inequality and violence against women.

The study's limitations include its focus on Amman and the exclusion of women from other Jordanian regions, restricting generalizability. Additional variables like kinship, religion, and specific employment details could enrich the analysis. Finally, a measure to assess consequences of economic abuse and its causal relationship with other abuse types could improve future research.