The anti-domestic violence law and women's welfare: Evidence from a natural experiment in China

•We explore the impact of China's Anti-Domestic Violence Law on women's welfare using a DD approach.•The law has significantly increased the life satisfaction of married women.•The increase in life satisfaction is greater for women with higher salaries, better education, and of younger age than their respective counterparts.•The increase in life satisfaction is realized through women's increased self-confidence, health status, and intra-household bargaining power.•The law's implementation also increases women's probability of being promoted and their salaries.