Domestic violence affects all types of women

Domestic violence permeates all social groups defined by race, ethnicity and economic circumstances, yet it is clear that the combined experience of poverty and violence raises particularly difficult issues for women and their children. Women living in poverty experience violence by their partners at higher rates partially because they have fewer options. Access to independent economic resources, including public assistance, is vital to an abused woman’s decision making and safety planning.

The high rates of domestic violence in the lives of impoverished women, along with higher rates of physical and mental health problems, mean that economically disadvantaged women are likely to have more, and more complex, needs than those who have more resources. It is important to note that women who experience violence and poverty are astoundingly resilient and use the resources they do have strategically. Each woman has her own experience and is affected by the violence in her life in different ways and to different degrees.

Economic independence and employment are central considerations in women’s safety. For a woman with limited resources, obtaining safe and affordable housing is often difficult. Each victim faces unique risks and thus has unique needs for safety and self-sufficiency. In many instances, determining what a particular woman needs is as simple as asking her.

Not all women who have experienced domestic violence  have problems that interfere with their taking steps toward self-sufficiency. Other women, however, do have lingering safety concerns or trauma that interferes with job training or employment. For a significant number, domestic violence is a major “welfare-to-work” barrier. Abusers often feel threatened by a partner’s efforts to become more financially independent, and they actively interfere with or sabotage job training, education or employment activities.

A woman of color faces particular barriers, because she often has to overcome not only victim-blaming attitudes but also racial stereotypes. She might have encountered racism in the criminal justice and social service systems and might be reluctant to turn to those systems for help. As a result, she might not have been believed or treated fairly in the past. It is never easy for a woman to tell others what is happening to her. For a woman of color, there is often an added pressure to remain silent rather than potentially reinforce negative perceptions of her community by discussing domestic violence. In some communities of color, religion is particularly important to a sense of identity and belonging. Some African American, Latino and Asian American communities, for example, might also have strong religious or cultural traditions that can add to a woman’s reluctance to leave her abusive marriage.

Women of all races might have strong religious convictions. Family cohesiveness and spiritual community can be positive and strengthening, but for women experiencing domestic violence, it also can mean that leaving an abusive relationship includes the risk of losing her family or congregation or acting against a deeply held belief.

Immigrant or refugee women face extreme difficulty escaping domestic violence.  Cultural isolation and language barriers can be particularly devastating. Because of experiences in her country of origin, she might have little trust in the justice system. She also might believe that her ability to remain in this country depends on her husband’s immigration status or might erroneously believe that seeking any help will result in her deportation. It is critical that immigrant and refugee women have access to legal services to help them address their particular concerns and legally complex situations.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals who are abused face the same issues that heterosexual women face, plus others unique to their same-sex relationship or sexual orientation. They might have reason to fear mistreatment or alienation if they reveal their sexual orientation to friends, family or coworkers. Past incidents of discrimination can make them reluctant to approach service providers. Even when they do seek help, they often find that many traditional services for abused heterosexual women do not provide support for them.

Women who have a mental illness or physical or communicative disability face additional barriers obtaining social services and breaking isolation from their abuser. A woman may be waiting for approval of a disability award to move toward financial independence, she may rely on her partner’s health insurance to pay for medications, or she might depend on her partner for basic daily mobility or communication needs. When a woman does try to seek help, she may find that materials may not be available in Braille or that American Sign Language interpreters often are not accessible. Women may not be believed because their limited communicative abilities lead  people to misinterpret what they say or to think that they are “slow” and cannot accurately describe their situation.

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