An Ecological Index of Violence Against Women in a Latin American Country

Abstract

Gender-based violence continues to undermine women's well-being globally, particularly in Latin America, where sociocultural norms sustain unequal power relations. However, these patterns are often excluded from empirical analyses. This study develops a structural index based on the ecological framework—individual, microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels—to identify economic and sociocultural risk factors associated with violence against women. The index is applied to Peru, where 54.9% of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced domestic violence. This integrative approach constitutes an original contribution to devising targeted strategies for addressing violence against women and informing culturally sensitive public policies.