Abstract:

WELFARE REFORM AND WOMEN: ISSUES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND POVERTY. Katricia V. Bennett, Dr. Walda Katz-Fishman, Department of Sociology, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

Research suggests that a woman’s escape from domestic abuse is hindered if she is dependent upon the current welfare system, which has been changed dramatically since 1996. A substantial number of welfare recipients fall victim to domestic violence. These women and their children are in need of security, economic resources, legal assistance, medical care and counseling. Unfortunately, their needs can hardly be met under the current welfare system. Some women who are on welfare and working are not paid enough to support themselves or their children. This creates a dependent situation where the women cannot leave their abusive partners. Legislation has been created to aid these women; however it is state-determined and, therefore, varies. The purpose of this exploratory research was to describe a relationship between domestic violence (with a focus on physical abuse) against poor women (primarily in heterosexual relationships) and the current welfare system. The data are analyzed from a feminist-historical materialist perspective. The research includes a review of relevant social science literature and secondary analysis of government data. Literature sources include scholarly journals and feminist literature. Data sources include census data and websites.