At the Crossroads and in the Crosshairs: Social Welfare Policy and Low-Income Women's Vulnerability to Domestic Violence

Abstract

Although research and social policy on domestic violence and poverty have largely focused on factors linked to welfare reform policy goals, low-income abused women have a broader set of needs for which they turn to the state for assistance. Using ethnographic data, I explore the impact of abused mothers' interactions with an array of social welfare policy systems on their ability to protect themselves and their children from domestic violence. Analysis of interview and observational data found that distinctions between positive and negative influences on vulnerability to domestic violence were not clear-cut. Policies that provided protection and security to some placed others at increased risk; some policies mitigated the risk of further abuse for participants at the same time that other policies exacerbated their risk. Findings identify some current policy successes and failures, highlight the important role played by frontline workers, and demonstrate the importance of expanding the focus of research in this area beyond welfare and employment policies and outcomes to include the range of structural forces affecting family life in low-income communities. Drawing on the analyses and findings, I discuss ways in which social policy might be made more responsive to abused women and better ensure the safety and security of our most vulnerable families.

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