And He Went Out for Cigarettes: About Economic Violence and the Unilateral Maternal Burden in Child Rearing

Abstract

Recently, there has been an increase in the analysis and study of the phenomenon and issue of gender-based violence. However, much of this research has prioritized the study of physical abuse over other less tangible forms of aggression. Economic violence is one of the least highlighted manifestations. In this context, this article focuses on one of the most common forms of victimization that occurs after the break-up of a couple: failure to provide child support or, in another way, non-payment of alimony. Therefore, using a qualitative methodology based on interviews, the aim is to collect the narratives and experiences of women who, after separation or divorce, do not receive the amounts established for the maintenance of their dependent children. The focus of the research is on capturing the voices of these women, with particular attention to aspects such as access to the legal system and the process of claiming these payments, cultural representations surrounding child support, and the informants' interpretations of the non-fulfilment of this obligation and its consequences.