Domestic Violence and Divorce Law: When Divorce Threats Become Credible
利用西班牙离婚成本意外降低的改革，研究发现离婚更便宜后，已婚夫妇间的家庭暴力减少了约30%，说明离婚威胁可信度提升改善了婚姻内的议价行为。
The cost of divorce influences the bargaining position of spouses and thus their behavior within the marriage. This study takes advantage of a major and unexpected reduction in divorce costs in Spain to estimate the causal effects on domestic violence. Results suggest a 30% decline in spousal conflict as a consequence of the reform. Spousal violence is found to have decreased among couples who remained married after the modification in the law, which suggests an important role for changes in bargaining within the marriage when divorce becomes a more credible (cheaper) option.