Job Skills in Domestic Violence Shelters

Job Skills in Domestic Violence Shelters

Project Narrative

Overview

Domestic violence is violent or aggressive behavior within the home it includes violence between any spouse/partner, former partners, and immediate family members. Abuse can be sexual, emotional, psychological, physical, financial and so forth. Behaviors may include manipulation, threats, or actually becoming physically violent. Domestic violence directly between spouses or those dating, is now known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Intimate Partner Violence is known as any form of physical, verbal or sexual assault that violates a women's physical body, or sense of self. According to Johnson, partner violence is "primarily a problem of men using violence to maintain control over ‘their women'" (Johnson 2000: 949). Many women who are victims of domestic violence move to shelters to get safety and to receive help. However, women who are in shelters are only receiving minimal support. They are supplied with a place to sleep and eat but are not prepared for what happens after their time in the shelter is up. Most domestic violence shelters only allow women to live in them for up to three months. After the women leave the shelters, many return to their abuser because they were unable to find employment and heavily relied on their spouse or partner for financial stability. Our grant is to find a solution to this by requiring domestic violence shelters to provide adequate job training skills and possibly placement, to help women become more financially stable.

Background

"Many believe the historical inequality of women and gender socialization of females and males contribute to the root causes of domestic violence." Many also believe in "Financial dependence". Some victims do not have access to any income and have been prevented from obtaining an education or employment. Victims who lack viable job skills or education, transportation, affordable daycare, safe housing, and health benefits face very limited options. Poverty and marginal economic support services can present enormous challenges to victims who seek safety and stability. Often, victims find themselves choosing between homelessness, living in impoverished and unsafe communities, or returning to their abusive partner." An estimated 85 to 90 percent of domestic violence victims are female; Domestic violence constitutes 22 percent of violent crime against females and 3 percent of violent crime against males. Another seventy percent of intimate homicide victims are female. Females are twice as likely to be killed by their husbands or boyfriends than murdered by strangers.

Many domestic violence victims often go into Domestic Violence (DV) shelters for safety reasons after leaving their abuser. In these shelters women are