Domestic violence has a broad and insidious reach. It does not only affect women physically, emotionally and mentally: economic security is an important piece of the puzzle that can help eliminate violence against women in a more systematic way.
Why focus on economic security? A victim of domestic violence cannot leave an abusive situation if she cannot support herself or her family financially. And an abusive home setting has been proven to drastically affect workplace behavior; it can lead to lessened ability to work effectively, the need to take time off and, in more serious situations, could lead to job loss or loss of other sources of income.
Furthermore, finances can be used as a tool of power and control. This is also a form of domestic abuse and can wedge the victim into a relationship of continued vulnerability without ability to escape.
The scope and the impact of the economic component of domestic violence heighten the importance of considering women and families when we discuss policies and legislation that we would normally couch as “economic justice.” That women continue to make 77 cents on the dollar further illustrates the obstacles that hinder a victim of domestic violence from being self-sufficient enough to disentangle her finances from her abuser’s (here’s a way to take action on this important issue). While broad paycheck fairness is vital, so is a fair and living wage. Almost two-thirds of the people on the minimum wage are women: a striking statistic that drives home the importance of empowering women through financial means alongside other strategies that will help end domestic violence. It can take a significant amount of time to become financially independent; women need as many tools as possible to make that day come sooner.
At the very end of the Book of Numbers, we read the story of the daughters of Zelophehad. After Zelophehad died, leaving no sons, his five daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, went before Moses, Eleazer the priest, and the Jewish people and advocated for their rights to inherit the land their father left behind. Based on the logic of their argument, and the need for self-subsistence, G-d instructed Moses to grant the daughters their land, and set precedence that hence, women ought to inherit their father’s property if there was no other direct kin. Within the patriarchal structures of Biblical-era society, this is an enormous moment for Jewish women’s empowerment, and this story is applicable today. Self-advocacy is a crucial component for breaking free from situations in which a person feels limited or powerless. Economic security assists women in their empowerment to separate themselves from an abusive situation and have the ability to start anew.
For RAC resources on violence against women, click here.
For a report on the importance of economic security by the National Network to End Domestic Violence, click here.