The Difference Between Surviving and Not Surviving: Public Benefits Programs and Domestic and Sexual Violence Victims' Economic Security (2018)

For domestic violence and sexual assault victims, the public benefits programs that support basic economic security are of critical importance. While we know that domestic violence and sexual assault occur across the socio-economic spectrum, there are unique challenges and barriers at the intersection of these forms of violence and economic disadvantage. Significant numbers of low-income women are abused or assaulted, and the violence perpetrated against them can make it nearly impossible to climb out of poverty. Abuse can also result in victims who were not previously considered low-income falling into poverty: violence often undermines victims’ ability to work, have a place to live, and do what is necessary to pursue a more stable life for themselves and their children. Poverty and economic instability can also make it more difficult to cope with the physical, psychological, and financial impacts of domestic violence and sexual assault.