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LIBRARY
Michigan State
University

 

 

mews

 

 

 

 

This is to certify that the

thesis entitled

Battered Women and Financial Resources:
A Needs Assessment

presented by

Nancy M. McCrohan

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

Masters degree in Psychology

 

 

Major prof - ssor

Date July 31, 1989

 

0-7639 MS U is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution

 

PLACE IN RETURN BOX to remove this checkout from your record.
TO AVOID FINES return on or More due due.

 

DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3’3 -' l
., , /
3 l

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MSU le An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution

BATTERED WOMEN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES:
A NEEDS ASSESSMENT
by
Nancy M. McCrohan

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS
Department of Psychology
1989

-
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v

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(JG/4' H’s

ABSTRACT
BATTERED WOMEN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES:
A NEEDS ASSESSMENT
By
Nancy M. McCrohan

This research investigated the financial needs and resources of
women residing at a shelter for battered women in Lansing, Michigan. Data
was collected from interviews with fourty-seven residents, and included
information on their greatest financial needs; types of resources accessed
from both community agencies and from friends and family members;
helpfulness of resources; suggestions for improving community agencies;
characteristics of the battering relationship; and personal resources.

While the women rated all of the financial areas investigated as fairly
important, the most immediate needs were those associated with housing:
housing deposit; rent; and utilities. In the three months preceding the
interviews, few women sought help from community agencies, and even
fewer received assistance. There was a significant difference between the
number of women who sought help and the number who received direct
help from community agencies in the following six areas: temporary shelter;
housing deposit; rent; legal; medical; and job search. While the subjects
rated the resources accessed from the community as mostly helpful (except
information and referrals for legal and childcare areas), the 347 suggestions
given for improving the community agencies made it clear that more
resources, more affordable and accessible resources, and policy changes in
Community Agencies were needed to help them meet financial needs.

The women sought help less frequently from friends and family
members, but were more likely to receive the help sought. They received
help from friends and family most often for childcare, transportation, and
temporary shelter, and rated the help received favorably.

Women who had high amounts of personal resources (employment,
job skills, and experience using job skills) tended to access more community
resources than the women with low personal resources. Women with
greater involvement with the assailant (Married, cohabitating, and longer
relationship), tended to access less community resources than women with
lesser involvement with the assailant. The services most useful in helping
battered women are: more low-income housing; help with housing deposits;
affordable, accessible legal services; and more lndividual, policy, and
administrative advocacy efforts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................ vi
INTRODUCTION .............................................. 1
Research Aims- -_ - - _ .................... 2
Defining Abuse ........... - - 4
Prevalence Vs. Mythology ................... - 5
Costs ......................................... 6
Theories Regarding Causes and Maintenance of
Domestic Wolence- - - - .......................... 7
Individual Level of Analysis ........................................... 8
Family Level Analysis ..................................................... 14
Social~Structural Level of Analysis .............................. 16
Socio-Cultural Level of Analysis .................................. 16
Interventions and Community Response .................................. 20
Identifying and Responding to Domestic Violence... 20
Shelters: Advocacy and Empowerment ....................... 21
Other Interventions ............................................................ 24
Expertism and Victimism ............................................................... 26
The Environmental Resources Approach ................................... 28
Justification for Research ............................................................... 31
Community Response ....................................................... 31
Research Methodology ..................................................... 34
Research Questions. ..... - - ........................................ 36
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 39
Setting ............................................................................................... 39
Subjects ............................................................................................ 39
Demographic Characteristics ......................................... 39
Procedures ....................................................................................... 41
Interviewer Training .......................................................... 41
Data Collection- - _ -- - -- ........................ 42
Instrument ......................................................................................... 43
Validity and Reliability ...................................................... 45
Scale Development .......................................................... 45

RESULTS ............................................................................................ 52

Introduction ..................................................................................... 52
Descriptive Analyses ..................................................................... 52
Areas of Greatest l-"Inancial Need ................................. 52
Resources Accessed from Community Agencies ...... 53
Resources Accessed from Friends and Family .......... 66

Improvement in Community Services
Suggested and Reasons for Not

Seeking Resources ...................................................... 67

Correlative Analyses ...................................................................... 70

Resources Accessed ......................................................... 70

Personal Resources .......................................................... 71

Assailant Relationship Variables .................................... 72

Religion ............................................................................... 74

DISCUSSION ........................................................................................ 95

Introduction ........................................................................................ 95

Descriptive Analyses ........................................................................ 95

Demographic ........................................................................ 95

Areas of Greatest Need ...................................................... 96

Resources Accessed from Community Agencies .......... 97

Resources Accessed from Friends and Family ............. 98
Improvements in Community Agencies

and Reasons for Not Seeking Resources ............... 99

Correlative Analyses ........................................................................ 101

Resources Accessed .......................................................... 101

Personal Resources ........................................................... 102

Assailant Relationship Variables ..................................... 102

Religion ................................................................................. 103

Methodological Limitations ............................................................ 104

Implications for Future Research ................................................... 104

Recommendations for Services . .................................................. 105

APPENDIX A ........................................................................................ 107

APPENDIX B ......................................................................................... 128

LIST OF REFERENCES ...................................................................... 132

V

Table

0) 01h (ON-b

do (0 (”V

u—L-L

13
14
15
16
17

LIST OF TABLES

Page
Demographic Characteristics 47
Number of Women Who Had Economic Resources 50
Importance of Obtaining Financial Resources

According to Ranking 55
Scaled Importance of Obtaining Financial Resources 56
Number of Women Who Perceive Themselves as

Having Resources 57
Number of Women Accessing Financial Resources

from Community Agencies 58
Specific Resources Provided by Community Agencies 60
Ratings of Helpfulness of Resources Accessed from

Community Agencies 64
Number of Women Accessing Financial Resources

from Friends and Family Members 75
Specific Resources Provided by Friends and Family 77
Ratings of Helpfulness of Resources Accessed from

Friends and Family Members 80
Suggestions for Improving Community Agencies,

Categorized by Change Strategies 82
Reasons for Not Seeking Help from Community Agencies 86
Reasons for Not Seeking help from Friends and Family 89
Pearson Correlation Coefficients 92
T-test Results 93
Amount of Resources Accessed 94

INTRODUCTION

Historically, the legal systems of Europe, England, and earIy America
supported a husband's right to beat his wife, as did community norms
(Citizens Advisory Task Force [CATF]. 1978; W
[FSAB], 1981). It was not until the 17th Century that a husband's “power of
correction” over his wife even began to be doubted (FSAB, 1981 ). Today,
the laws have changed, but the reality of the violence continues.

Traditionally, the home has been shielded from community
intervention by legal theories of privacy and individual autonomy. Courts
have never actually said that the right of privacy immunized a person from
criminal liability for injury to another, but the idea of marital privacy has often
precluded avictim from obtaining relief (CATF, 1978). Martin (1978)
proposed that even today legal protection of victims exists only in theory,
not in practice. Indeed, many researchers noted that our social institutions
are reluctant to intervene in spouse abuse, and this reluctance serves to
encourage and perpetuate the problem (Barnett. Pittman, Ragan, and Salus,
1980; Martin, 1978).

Some form of physical violence between family members is so likely
to occur in the life cycle that is can be said to be almost universal (Straus,
1978). The Citizens Advisory Task Force [CATF] (1978) referred to violence
as a fundamental part of family Iifewhich results in a significant loss of
human resources. This paper is concerned with one aspect of family
violence--violence against adult women perpetrated by their own partners,
which until recently has appeared to be clouded by a conspiracy of silence.
In the past generation, child abuse has been widely recognized and
researched, while the response to wife abuse has been characterized

1

2
by reluctance. While recognition of this potentially life threatening problem
has increased recently, current interventions still fall short of meeting needs.
Glari ngly omitted from recent articles and research in this area ls direct input
from the victims themselves. particularly what they think is needed to
significantly alter their situation. Researchers and authors need to recognize
the validity of the victims' interpretation of their experience and the resources
needed to alter their situation.

The ability to access resources in order to create change in a life
situation is critical for battered women. It has been suggested that violence
and independence cannot exist together (Huston,1984; Walker,1979). And
financial resources are factors in creating an independent living situation
(Dobash & Dobash, 1979; Roy, 1977: Strube & Barbour. 1984). Shelter
residents are mainly poor; the women are there because they have no other
resources for safe temporary shelter. Thus, of all the resources to examine,
financial ones will be pivotal in creating change in the women's lives.

W

The purpose of the present study was to systematically examine the
financial needs and resources of the residents at a battered women's
shelter. It is hoped that this data can be used to develop strategies to
increase community response in meeting these women's financial needs.
More specifically, the goals of the research included discovering the sources
and types of resources abused women have accessed; documenting
community services utilized; gathering information about what
improvements or changes in community resources are needed; discovering
the areas of greatest financial need; and looking for correlations between
resources used by the women.

The literature review is intended to give the reader a broad overview
of the wife abuse epidemic. The introduction of this literature review focuses
on the parameters of woman abuse: the definition, prevalence. costs. and
mythology. The next section of this work focuses on the causes and

3
theories of domestic violence, classified according to levels of analysis:
individual; family; socio-stmctural; and soclo-cultural. The third section
deals with interventions, focusing on the predominant individual level
change efforts. The fourth section explains the Environmental Resources
approach, and is followed by a justification for research section which
outlines past research on community service and resources.

The Environmental Resources approach is the framework upon which
this study is based, and will be discussed in more detail subsequently.
Briefly, the Environmental Resources approach does not view
disadvantaged groups (such as battered women) as deviant, but as people
who have the right to have their unmet needs fulfilled (Davidson &
Rappaport,1978). The Environmental Resources approach is essentially a
set of approaches, a multiple-strategy model of advocacy (Davidson & Rapp,
1976). It stresses the need for ensuring that all individuals get their needs
met, and accomplishes this by improving the person-environment fit
(Rappaport, 1977). By focusing on both the persons and the environment,
instead of one exclusively, the approach multiplies its potency for creating
social change. The current study emphasizes that appropriate advocacy
strategies to mobilize or generate resources cannot be fully developed
without input from the population with the unmet needs- the battered
women.

Throughout this literature review, the terms spouse abuse, woman
abuse, wife abuse, and battering are intended to connotate the same actions
and are used interchangably. Battered woman, abused woman, survivor,
battered wife, abused spouse, and battered spouse are terms which likewise
connotate the same victims. The victims referred to are females abused by a
current or former male partner. This review does not address homosexual
relationships, nor does it concern itself with directly investigating child
abuse, husband abuse, or elder abuse.

DefininnAbuss

Definitions of spouse abuse vary; there is no one widely accepted
definition (Barnett et al.,1980; Germain, 1984; Walker, 1978). There is a
growing concensus that the definition must include sexually intimate adult
partners as well as legally married couples, either presently or formerly
cohabitating (Barnett et al., 1980; CATF, 1978; Germain, 1984). The
nomenclature is important. The Citizens Advisory Task Force (1978)
reported that 50% of recorded domestic violence cases were not marital, but
conjugal partners.

Definitional disputes are generally concerned with the distinctions
between physical and nonphysical abuse. Walker (1978) reported research
which suggested that battering is both physical and psychological, and that
these two are inseparable, despite the problem of documentation. There is
some agreement that ”battering” should refer to the physical violence
because it is easier to document. These acts would include a wide range of
behaviors, such as slapping, punching, kicking, choking, use of weapons,
and murder (CATF,1978; Gayford, 1975; Gelles,1972; Germain,1984).

Germain (1984) suggested that "abuse” is more inclusive than
physical battery . Besides battery and sexual abuse, there are nonphysical
forms of abuse which include social isolation, home imprisonment,
economic deprivation, verbal harassment, and threats of violence, death, or
mutilation (Germain, 1984). Walker (1978), in her pilot study, found that the
threat of violence was always present in the battering situation, and that
every battered woman believed her assailant could kill her. Frequently,
battered women felt that the nonphysical abuse was equally or more
terrifyingfintimidating/ humiliating than the battery itself (Germain,1984;
Martin, 1978; Walker, 1978).

Battering is not an isolated incident. Once assault has occured in a
relationship, it becomes more frequent and severe over time (CATF,1978;

5

Dobash & Dobash, 1979). Moreover, this violence occurs in all
socioeconomic levels, and is not restricted to any race, ethnic group, or
religion (Barnett et al., 1980; CATF,1978; Germain, 1984). Researchers
agree that violence is more visible in the lower income groups for a variety
of reasons. Higher income victims seem hesitant to ask for or respond to
help. They are often concerned with their social, economic, or career status.
Of course they also have more and varied resources.

Emalancmmncloox

The causes of spouse abuse are complex and not well understood by
individuals or service providers in the community. The battered women is
twice victimized, first by her assailant, then by our social institutions, which
reinforce and perpetuate the violence (Barnett et al., 1980; Burris &
Jaffe,1984; FSAB, 1981; Kalmuss & Straus, 1983; Loseke & Cahill, 1984;
Martin, 1978). The myths about domestic violence, and particularly the role
of the victim, must be addressed and dispelled, in order for communities to
recognize, and take appropriate action to effectively intervene in this
wasteful and potentially life-threatening situation.

The most prevalent myths surrounding domestic violence involve the
concepts that battering is not a serious problem; the severity of the violence
is overstated; that only "problem” families are violent; that only certain ethnic,
racial, religious, or socioeconomic groups have this problem. The fact is
that violence against women, inflicted by their own partners or ex-partners in
their own homes, has only recently been identified as a social problem of
magma proportions (Burris & Jaffe, 1984; Germain,1984; Martin,1978;
Synder & Scheer, 1981).

The FBI proposed that marital violence is the most unreported crime,
10 times more unreported than rape, suggesting that there are millions of
battered women in this nation (Martin,1978). Straus and Gelles (1986)
estimated the abuse is inflicted upon approximately 2 million women every
year. It is estimated that up to 60% of women with a live-in partner will be

6
assaulted at least once (Straus, 1978). Estimates are usually low because
they are generally based on self report; the families are usually identified
only after the problem is severe (Barnett et al., 1980).

In one survey of the general population, 30% of all couples reported
at least one incidence of violence (Snyder & Scheer, 1981). This amount is
likely to be lower than the actual amount of violence, based as it is on
self-report in a general survey. At Boston City Hospital, about 70% of all
assault victims were women who were attacked in their own home (Barnett
et al., 1980). In Kansas City, Missouri, police found that 40% of all
homicides one year were spouse killing spouse; in 85% of these cases the
police had been called to the house once before, and in 50% of the cases,
police had received at least five calls previously (Martin,1978).

In summary, these numbers belie the myths that surround violence
against women, and reflect the prevalence; the severity; the pervasiveness
of this social problem which crosses ethnic, racial, religious, and
socioeconomic boundaries.

Casts

Another myth is the idea that the violence is a “family matter". In
actuality, wife abuse is a criminal act of high frequency which exacts a high
cost for individuals, families, and society. CATF (1978) reported that
”domestic disturbances" accounted for 26% of all police injuries. FBI
statistics showed that in 1974, 1 out of 5 police killed in the line of duty were
trying to stop family violence (Martin, 1978).

According to CATF (1978), children suffer emotional trama,
sometimes become targets of violence as well, and are likely to incorporate
violence into future relationships, because of spouse abuse. CATF (1978)
summarized that the family (more than any other institution) is the main
mechanism for teaching the “norms, values, and techniques of violence“.
Stark and Flitcraft (1983) reported that battered women, besides acute
physical injury, disproportionally suffer from a variety of psychosocial

7
problems which are the result of, not the context of, the abuse. Barnett et al.
(1980) stated that the effects of family violence (for any member) may
include death by homicide, death by suicide, disabling injuries, depression,
emotional abuse and neglect, continuation of social isolation, escalating
violence, and recurrence of violence with a new partner.

In summary, domestic violence is crime of epidemic proportions which
exacts a high cost for society, families, and individuals. This phenomena is
poorly understood and responded to by service providers and lay people
alike. The next section of this review will focus on the theories on the
causes and maintenance of this violence. according to levels of analysis.

WW

Although there is a great deal of literature on domestic violence in
general, there is very little research done with the intent of Identifying the
causes of domestic violence, and no one theory alone takes into account the
multiple causal factors at different levels of analysis (Carlson, 1984).
Carlson (1984) created a comprehensive conceptual framework for
understanding domestic violence with the intention of integrating the current
knowledge of factors causing/maintaining domestic violence and producing
a realistic picture of its complexity. Carlson (1984) used Urie
Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of human development as a basis for
conceptualizing her ecological model of domestic violence. She suggested
this model helps explain the cyclic nature both within a given family and
across generations. The ecological framework is simple to understand and
allows for elaboration by adding variables and finding potential
interrelationships. It can be used as a basis for empirical work, creating a
more comprehensive theory of domestic violence. In addition to analysis,
the framework is also useful in conceptualizing appropriate interventions.

Carlson's (1984) ecological model has many strengths: it recognizes
multiple variables in domestic violence at several levels of analysis;

8
provides for interaction both within and across these levels; it is able to
analyze violence over time and at any given point in time; and It can
differentiate between initial causes and maintaining factors of this violence.
Therefore the model creates a more realistic perspective than previous
conceptualizations.

There are limitations of Carlson's ecological model which reduce its
usefulness, although this is partly due to the limited knowledge In this area.
First, the model does not exhaust every possible factor at each level. It is
not capable of specifying which factors are direct and which are indirect.
Also, there is no determining the relative weight of each factor. Therefore,
we could expect that each factor can have a different influence for different
families.

Carlson (1984) classified factors according to the level of analysis:
The individual level analysis which focuses on lntra-psychic processes, the
interactions of couples, and external factors which affect these; the family
level analysis which focuses on family life and organization, including role
structure and interaction dynamics; the social-structural level which looks at
major institutions of our culture and community , both formal and informal;
and the sociocultural level, closely related to the social-structural level,
which analyzes the impact of our norms, values. and belief systems on wife
battering. There is some overlap of factors between levels; the
categorization is more for convenience in conceptualizing than it is a strict
representation of reality.
ll"||l It! I'

The individual level of analysis examines what each person brings to
the relationship. This includes attitudes, values, beliefs, personal resources,
skills, problems, weaknesses, and pathologies. Alcohol abuse by the
assailant is often identified as contributing to the etiology of domestic
violence. It cannot be said to cause the violence, but it can interact with
other factors and it is a disinhibltor, helping the assailant to deny his

9
responsiblity. For both victim and assailant, stress and self-esteem are often
cited as factors contributing to the tendency to use violence (Carlson, 1984).
There is no empirical data, but a good deal of anecdotal data suggesting
that both parties are dependent, immature, and insecure. Carlson (1984)
suggested that this can lead to unfounded jealousy in the man, and
dependency in the woman. This passivity can be severe, as outlined in the
theory of learned helplessness.

The theory of WW proposed by Walker (1979), is an
attempt to explain the psychological response to the battering situation. The
theory basically suggests that the woman stays in the battering situation
because of her low self-esteem and subsequent belief that she cannot and
or escape the abuse. This is related to the cycle of violence theory which
suggests this chronicle of recurring violence: increase in tension; a battering
incident; and the contrition of the abuser. Walker (1979) suggested that with
this cycle, the woman learns that she has no control over the violence, no
matter what her behavior. This lack of contingency between her behavior
and the batterer's behavior produces a learned helplessness state which
has cognitive, motivational, and behavioral ramifications. Essentially, she
becomes complacent.

Walker (1979) also outlined how women are taught to be
complacent long before an initial violent incident, making learned
helplessness a more likely result of battering. She proposed that women
are systematically taught and culturally conditioned to be more passive than
men. She said that they learn they have no direct control of circumstances
in their lives, and pointed out that men and women do not have equal power
in marriage. For example, approximately half of the states do not legally
recognize that rape is possible in marriage. She further pointed out that
power differences are also reflected in economic and social status
inequities. Walker (1979) summarized that cultural conditions, marriage
laws, economic status, and physical inferiority teach women that they have

1 0
no direct control over their own lives, predisposing them to perceive
themselves as helpless in a violent situation.

Wardell, Gillespie, and Leffler (1983) proposed that many battered
women do stay in their situation because they have accurately assessed that
they lack safe alternatives; they feel helpless because they are without
options to deal with the batterer's persistence. They suggested this
perception indicates logical thinking, not a poor self-image; the Ieamed
helplessness behavior may be valid, regardless of ego strength. While
Walker did acknowledge that many women genuinely lack alternatives, and
that the continual reinforcement of nonresponsiveness and punishment of
help—seeking or assertive behaviors is an integral part of the battering, she
still persisted in examining why the woman's low self-esteem prevents her
from making changes.

It is also possible that the battered women simply overlook options-in
itself a symptom of learned helplessness--but this does not suggest the
woman's complicity of a learned failure to cope syndrome. Wardell et al.
(1983) stated that there is no more evidence of a ”characterological
disorder" in a woman mistakenly staying than there is in the poorjudgement
of any person who keeps a lemon car, or who gets a Ph.D despite very poor
employment possibilities (p.76). The decision may seem foolish when
trouble again arises, but seem reasonable when made without the value of
hindsight or objectivity.

The terror of the consequences after she escapes is strong
motivation for staying as well; this is the point where she is in the most
danger. Remaining In the relationship could become behavior which is
hard to extinguish because of the contrition phase of the violence cycle
outlined by Walker. The hope that the batterer will indeed ”never do it
again" is powerful. Wardell et al. (1983) summarized that the learned
helplessness theory ”labels as a peculiarity of the battered victim what is in
fact a reasonable response to an unreasonable situation, and this diverts

1 1
attention to her from it” (Wardell et al., 198376).

In summary, it appears that many battered women do exhibit some
Ieamed helplessness behaviors in a battering situation. However, this may
not strictly reflect a poor self-image as much as it does ingrained habits or
the lack of genuine options for the woman. These behaviors do not Indicate
any kind of disorder in the woman, and the focus on her response detracts
attention from the problem- the assailants behavior.

Carlson (1984) stated that one's Iamjluismy is probably the mest
potent causal factor at the individual level, and that one's experience can
contribute to violence in a variety of ways. One way is that victims of child
abuse or neglect can be predisposed to becoming a future victim or
assailant. One study found that between 35 and 60% of battered women
studied were sexually abused as children (Star, 1981). The other two ways
family history contributes can be explained by social learning theory.

The sociaLleamIno theory basically suggests that violence is a
Ieamed behavior. The second way that family history contributes is through
learning that physical punishment or discipline legitimizes the use of
violence, at least in certain contexts. Carlson (1984) pointed out that we
also learn that those who love us and those who hurt us are the same
people. The third way is through observational learning which is indeed
potent. Parents are major role models for children. They learn a great deal
when they see that the mother cannot stop the violence and that there are
few negative consequences for the father‘s violent behavior.

Straus, Gelles, and Steinmetz (1980) found a strong relationship
between children observing violence and being violent as an adult. They
found that men who had seen a parent physically abused by the other were
3 times more likely to hit their own wives than sons of a non-violent parent.
This represented 35% of that group as compared to 10% of sons of
non-violent parents. They also found that the sons of the most violent
parents had a rate of violence 1000 times greater than the sons of

1 2
non-violent parents.

The social learning theory also indicates that we learn by lntemalizing
the norms/values of the behavior observed. The lntemalization of sex roles,
accomplished by reinforcement and modeling, suggests that physical
dominance is a male domain and submission, a woman's. For one to be
accepted and loved, one must conform to society's rules of what one should
be. It seems that men learn that violence is not only acceptable, but
expected (Straus,1978; Walker, 1979).

While this theory regarding internalizing may be plausible
conceptually, Wardell et al. (1983) reported the lack of evidence of this
sex-role acceptance. Wardell et al. (1983) reported that there is no actual
evidence: that battered and non-battered women differ in their sex-role
acceptance; that battering men and feminist men are of a different creed; that
a battered woman's beliefs impact on her situation; that any differences
found would be the cause and not the result of the violence; nor that
ideations cause behavior. In summary, Straus et al. (1980) presented strong
evidence that modeling can take place, but Wardell et al. (1983) found no
evidence of the lntemalization of the norms/values of the behavior observed
presumed to occur through modeling.

The provocation theory suggests that the woman causes the man's
anger. It implies that the wife's behavior causes the husband to resort to
violence. Unfortunately, this interactionist view creates a double standard
for evaluating the wife and husband. Research into causation focuses on
the external influences of his behavior which creates a tendancy to excuse
his behavior and remove responsiblility. The wife, however, is not looked at
in totality, but only in terms of how she annoyed him. The trigger setting off
violence is usually trivial; there is no way that violence would be the
expected result. The operational definition of provocation becomes
”anything she does or does not do which, after hitting her, he reports
disliking" (Wardell et al., 1983 :74).

1 3
In summary, the provocation arguement is unacceptable because it is
unfalsifiable, and therefore violates a basic requisite of scientific theorizing.
A priori victim blaming is not a scientific demonstration of complicity (Wardell
et al.,1983). Note also that the treatment implied by this concept is to
change her behavior, in order to change his. The result of this treatment is
the further victimization of the victim.

The W theory, originally set forth by Goode (1971 ),
assumed that a person with fewer resources (status) than another family
member may resort to violence to alter the power imbalance within the
relationship. Geode (1971) suggested that the more resources one has (99.
money, status, charm) the more power he can produce. If the husband lacks
legitimate resources, but wishes for dominance, he can try to create it by the
use of force. Thus, the ultimate resource is physical violence.

There are several problems with this theory. First, there are very few
families indeed where the woman has a higher status than her mate, and yet
abuse is epidemic. Women are discriminated against in employment,
promotions, job titles, pay, and the “John/Joan McKay kind of double
standard in which women's performance is systematically denigrated
compared to men" (Wardell et al.,1983:76). Despite the reality of women's
status, the theory has not been abandoned. Efforts have been made to
compare him to her father or his peers, or even change the definition of
wife-dominant! wife-superior, so that somehow he loses. His losing on any
one of several dimensions, means that she wins the whole contest (Wardell
et al., 1983).

Gelles (1983) clarified Goode's theory by suggesting that human
interactions are guided by the principles of rewards and costs. In short,
family violence is used as a resource because the costs do not outweigh the
rewards. Violence is tolerated in this society. The result is that ”people hit
and abuse other family members because they can" (Gelles,1983:157).

In summary, the personal resource theory is not a viable one; very few

1 4
women have greater resources than their mates, no matter how the
definition is manipulated. Gelles suggestion of rewards and costs more
closely adheres to reality; there are few, if any, costs for violence toward
women, especially if the women are family members.

In conclusion, there are many individual level factors that potentially
influence violence against women, the most potent of these being family
history and social learning. The evidence indicates that violence is a ‘
Ieamed behavior, and that modeling is an important medium for teaching.
There is still no evidence, however, that lntemalization of norms and values
occurs through observation of such modeling.

E 'I l I E I .

The family level analysis focuses on family life and organization,
including the W and W. The factors
operating at this level often interact with and are related to the family
background factors at the individual level (Carlson, 1984). The family is a
social unit with greater potential for conflict and tension than other kinds of
social groups, and because the membership for this group is involuntary,
there exists an implicit right to influence other members, even to the point of
using force (Carlson, 1984). High levels of change and stress are created
by the unstable family structure. Carlson (1984) also pointed out that ideas
about the privacy of family life decreases help-seeking from outsiders, even
when the family cannot resolve issues themselves. She also recognized
that these factors only partially explain family violence. While these
dynamics apply to all families, not all families are violent.

Carlson (1984) suggested that Ms can create conflict in
the family division of labor, if the women entering the work force begin to
expect a greater part in family decision making but the male thinks that he is
the boss. Conflicts over children, sex, money, housekeeping, and social
activities may also lead to violence. Straus et al. (1980) reported that
conflict over children is the tepic most likely to lead to violence. They further

1 5
reported that the conflict appears to act cumulatively, in that the more
conflict, the more likely the tendency toward violence. They indicated that
couples who reported almost always disagreeing in the five areas
mentioned above, were 16 times more likely to experience violence in the
relationship as those who reported almost never disagreeing on these
areas.

Carlson (1984) suggested that these factors cited above mainly relate
to cause, not maintenance of violence. Schechter (in Sonkin, Martin, &
Walker, 1985), on the other hand, proposed that factors such as alcohol use,
poor impulse control, stress, or unemployment can contribute to male
violence, but don't cause it. Examination of these factors potentially
influencing the use of violence, is therefore both helpful and misleading.
Schechter (in Sonkin, Martin & Walker, 1985) stressed that these factors fail
to explain why the violence is directed to the target of women, and a specific
context, the home.

Carlson (1984) indicated that certain 99W can influence
the maintenance of violence. For example, the woman's credibility and
power are reduced when she threatens to leave and doesn't, or does but
later returns. She also indicated that the man's contrition (relating to
Walker's cycle theory) can help maintain the relationship, and hence the
violence. Moreover, social isolation is generally present in homes with
recurrent violence, and is probably both cause and effect of violence. The
informal support systems generally available to families without wife
battering are potential resources and also give feedback to family members,
which would be useful to families in which women are abused.

In summary, the variables outlined in the family level analysis are
both helpful and confounding in understanding their influence on wife
abuse. Family role structure and interaction dynamics are theoretically
plausible and scientifically validated in part. However, these factors still do
not explain why some families are not violent, and why the target is usually

1 6
women in the context of their home.
S'l-Sl I II It! I.

This level of analysis looks at formal and informal major institutions.
It includes the economy, employment, goods distribution, as well as
community characteristics, law enforcement, and criminal justice practices.
Carlson (1984) outlined one theory called the structural theory of intrafamily
violence, which looks at economicfactors in causing and maintaining
violence. The theory notes that resources are not equitably distributed in
this society, and that this contributes to violence by the stress or tension
created by the low level of material resources. It further suggests that
unemployment also contributes, but is mediated by the degree of fnrstration,
resentment, personal responsibility assumed, spouse reaction, and amount
of monetary difficulty created by the situation.

Carlson (1984) reported that the community maintains or contributes
to family violence by the Waffles, and secondly by
the ways they choose to ignore or respond to the problem. She reported
that services for abused women are few, often poorly integrated and difficult
to access. She also indicated that the laws and informal practices can play
an insidious role in contributing to the violence. The police, social service
and mental health agencies generally have a lot of discretion in responding.
Therefore the attitudes and beliefs of these possible service providers can
influence the formal and informal policies and practices. They often act as
gatekeepers, and those that blame the victims can discourage help-seeking
behavior. These factors are often closely linked with the broader level of
socio-cultural analysis.

5 '-Qll II II! I.

The predominant feminist analysis of spouse abuse is a critique of
patriarchy. It explains the brutality against wives/girlfriends not as an
individual problem, but as one manifestation of systematic male domination
of women which has existed historically and cross-culturally (Yllo,1983).

1 7
Feminists pointed out that all the legal systems of Europe, England, and
Early America supported the husband‘s right to beat his wife, as did the
community norms. It was not until the 17th century that this ”power of
correction” over one's wife even began to be doubted (FSAB,1981). The
historical basis for the feminist concept focuses mainly on control of a
woman by her husband, but the situation was indicative of women's general
powerlessness. There were no alternatives to male-controlled families. ‘
Women were passed from father to husband, always controlled by males.
Power in the public sphere was not possible when none existed in the
private sphere.

Today the laws have changed somewhat, but the reality of violence
against women remains the same, and their position In society is still largely
defined by their family role (FSAB,1981). The feminist analysis maintained
that the patriarchal social orderthrives, promoting the oppression of women
and the dominance of men in all spheres of activity. This analysis revealed
that institutional processes, the devaluation of women and their roles, and
stereotyped sex-role socialization are factors maintaining patriarchal society
in which threatened or actual violence is a final method of control over
women (Dobash & Dobash,1979).

Carlson (1984) discussed four main factors at the socio-cultural
level which contribute to the cause and maintenance of woman

 
      

  
    

oer. I-e e“-

   

- :‘e:‘j:: - -
WWW She insisted that sexism is a powerful force that
cannot be disputed, that it contributes in both obvious and subtle ways, and
that it is manifested in the socialization of children, the response of the
criminal justice system, and the labor market. She summarized that
although some may argue that these don't work directly to cause domestic
violence, they are, in fact, the most influential and pervasive factors
contributing to woman battering, and are also the least amenable to change.
Writers have pointed out that the proof of sexism and/or patriarchal

1 8
values are evidenced in the many forms of inequity, of which violence and
control is only one symptom (FSAB,1981; Yllo, 1983). Moreover, evidence
of the systematic nature of women's victimization is reflected by the
community's reluctant or inappropriate interventions, for instance: in
attitudes regarding responsibility for violence (Wardell et al., 1983); in
professional's inability to identify and make appropriate referrals for
battered women (Burris & Jaffe, 1984; Stark & Flitcraft, 1983); in the lack of
correct law enforcement (CATF, 1978; Martin, 1978); in the most popular but
often ineffective intervention of marriage counseling (Burris & Jaffe, 1984);
in the lack of physical protection for battered women because society's goal
is to protect the marriage (Martin,1978); and in labeling and treating battered
women according to their secondary symptoms, while ignoring the battery
(Germain, 1984).

These actions and attitudes seem indicative of a goal to protect the
family unit and totally ignore the assailant's responsibility. In this way, the
assailant receives confirmation of his ownership rights to batter. Gates
(1978) reported a police department study which indicated that in 66 of 90
family conflict homicides, one person (men more often than women) was
defining another as an object of personal property and acting on that basis.

There are actually a variety of feminist viewpoints of battering. The
common feature between them is the view that social phenomena are
determined by the patriarchal structure of society. These views differ as to
whether the patriarchy is the exclusive or primary determinant of social
phenomena. These perspectives can also fit a variety of social science and
humanities subjects. Okun (1986) suggested that feminism can also be
termed sociological or social-psychological theory. He pointed out that
feminism differs from the sociological view in that feminists reject family
violence/spouse abuse terminology, and emphasize woman abuse instead.
Some view woman battering as a subset of violence against women, others
see woman battering as somewhat isolated from other forms of violence

1 9
against women. For those who view husband abuse as nonexistent or trivial,
gender neutral terms are inappropriate, and they avoid categorizing woman
battering with other family violence (Okun, 1986). One of the positive
features of defining conjugal violence as predominantly woman abuse is its
testability (Okun, 1986). Steinmetz is the only researcher to disagree that
over 90% of spouse abuse is, In fact, woman abuse (Okun, 1986).

Viewing woman battering as one type of male violence against
women allows relating woman abuse to other subjects not dealt with by
conjugal violence writers. Woman battering has been connected with
seemingly diverse tepics such as rape, incest, prostitution, foot-binding,
veiling and seclusion, mandatory clitoredectomy, infibulation, pornography,
curfew and behavioral restrictions used to determine chastity, witchery,
media-encouraged sadism, and economic restrictions causing poverty for
women without partners (Okun, 1986).

The clearist overiap in women's victimization is rape and battering
(Okun, 1986). The similarities in public attitudes about battered women and
rape survivors is no coincidence. The women are seen as provoking or
deserving, even enjoying their victimization. They are seen as responsible,
and are discouraged from seeking help. Okun (1986) pointed out that there
is little attention to rapists or abusers in preventing their behavior, and that
the denigration of female victims and simultaneous neglect of assailants'
responsibility is a manifestation of our patriarchal society.

Okun (1986) stated that feminists were responsible for the initial
examination of woman battering, the subsequent belief that it be studied
separately from other family violence, and taking the explicit value position
that violence against women is not acceptable. He summarized that
feminists have established a new context in which to study conjugal
violence, dictated new values, and founded a dominant scientific paradigm
for research.

To summarize, social-structural and socio-cultural factors are clearly

2 O
pervasive, powerful influences on the abuse of women. Many of these
factors are difficult to separate and examine individually. However, the
systematic victimization of women is evident in the community's reluctant or
inappropriate interventions, as outlined previously. Unfortunately, the
factors at this level are the least amenable to change, and may even
undermine some individual level interventions.

In conclusion, there are a great number of theories regarding the
causes and maintenance of domestic violence. Carlson's ecological model
of domestic violence is a useful one for conceptualizing the many factors
potentially influencing the use of violence against women. While most
literature on domestic violence is theoretical, some of these factors have ,
been researched, and evidence, both direct and indirect, has been reported
which supports some of the theoretical concepts.

The next section of this review focuses on interventions for battered
women. The shelters are the primary individual level intervention, utilizing
counseling, support, and individual advocacy efforts. Also outlined is the
emergence of self-identified experts on battered women.

I I I' | Q 'I E
|| I'l' IE I. ID I'II'I

Kalmuss & Straus (1983) pointed out that identifying a problem does
not assure the legitimation of it, nor does legitimation assure a response to
alleviate the problem. They stated that identification, definition, and
legitimation of spouse abuse has been focused on by theorists, researchers,
and policy makers, but that the response/ resolution stage has been largely
ignored. Roberts (1981) documented that there was a considerable time lag
between recognition and action in providing services to battered women,
and that services still fall short of fulfilling needs. While the role of the victim
is an inappropriate focus in the attribution of responsibility, the victim must
be a primary focus in the community response to violent relationships,
because it is the victim who is in immediate physical danger.

21
CATF (1978), in its final report to the Michigan Congressional
Special Joint Legislative Committee on Spouse Abuse, recommended that
service to victims was a priority second only to criminal law reform. The
services they proposed as mandatory in meeting the needs of battered
women were first emergency shelter, and then counseling, Including crisis
counseling, support and advocacy. The task force further documented the
need for emergency health care, affordable legal aid; police and
prosecutorial support; financial assistance; assistance in obtaining
permanent housing; transportation; childcare; and counseling for children.
In 1983, 700 shelters provided safety to more than 91,000 women and
131 .000 children and were unable to help over 264,000 women and
children (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1985). Debra
White, from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, reported that
in the first ten months of 1986, shelters across the nation provided safety to
311,000 women and children, and that the local shelter in Washington D. C.
was unable to help 7 out of every 8 families (personal communication,
August 7, 1989). Obviously the need for safety is great, and shelters are
frequently a woman's only resource.
WW
Shelters not only provide safe, temporary housing, but also
counseling, support and individual advocacy efforts. The formation of these
shelters was basically a "grassroots" effort, a reaction to the lack of any
effective intervention for the victims by any level of government
(Roberts,1981). Some shelters operate upon a feminist analysis which
specifies that violence against women is rooted in the patriarchal tradition in
which males are allowed to dominate and own females, and moreover, that
these culturally sanctioned values still prevail, and are the primary cause of
abuse ( Dobash & Dobash,1979; FSAB, 1981; Wardell et al., 1983;
Yllo,1983). Some emphasized that although violence Is experienced at an
individual level, it is a social problem; one manifestation of the system of

2 2

male dominance which has existed historically, and cross-culturally (CATF,
1978; FSAB, 1981). Dobash & Dobash (1979) concluded, 'The problem lies
in the domination of women. The answer lies in the struggle against it"
(p.24). To this end, the shelters' overall focus is on empowering the women.

Many have noted that violence and independence cannot exist
together. Walker (1979), on the basis of her clinical experience, expressed
pessimism that the pattern of escalating violence can be broken without
terminating the relationship. Huston (1984) reported research results which
indicated a woman must separate from her batterer in order to increase her
perception of options and gain confidence in making decisions.

Crisis counseling and support allow battered women a chance to be
heard, to express feelings without being judged. Workers use empathy skills
to assist in understanding the woman's feelings and affirm her right to own
them. This is an important information giving and decision making process,
aiding her to understand the dynamics of the situation and her right to live
without threats.

The advocacy aspect of shelters functions primarily to impact on the
individual. The advocacy model teaches the woman to be her own change
agent, generate internal and external resources and alternate methods of
dealing with agency practices (Pearlman & Edwards, 1982). This is a
process of giving moral support and information about community
resources, and also goal planning and problem solving experience. An
advocate teaches the woman skills to become her own advocate, and would
only speak or act in her behalf in rare cases where the woman could not. An
advocate can act as a buffer of the systems, and helps prevent frustration
from overwhelming the woman to the point where it seems easier to be
beaten than to fight the bureacracies (CATF,1978). Through problem
solving, one can build a sense of one's own competence and power to
effect change (Pearlman & Edwards, 1982). The feminist analysis
recognized the need for more permanent and diverse solutions which

2 3
address societal values and stnrctures (Barnett et al, 1980; FSAB, 1981;
Martin, 1978; Wardell et al., 1983). But until larger solutions begin to form,
shelter safety, support and advocacy of battered women will work to
reaffirm women's right to safety and self-determination.

To summarize the shelter efforts, all of these activities should
culminate in the empowerment of the woman, which simply means that the
woman begins to direct her own life, control her own body, decide on her
wants and needs, and attempts to fulfill these. This includes taking
responsibility for her own actions, but also recognizing that she is not to
blame for the violence which is directed at her. The process of living in the
shelter itself fosters empowerment by sharing the responsibility for running it
(FSAB, 1981). Gaining self-advocacy skills, however, does not imply an
automatic change in a woman's situation. Many women who are good
advocates have discovered that they are still without options or help
because they are blocked from acting by the procedures and policies of the
legal system or public agencies.

Pearlman & Edwards (1982) indicated that an advocacy model of
social change also impacts on the larger community. They suggested that
the model is focused on the transaction between the person and the
environment, and that these transactions can result in a change through the
system, that multiple consequences can result...” (Pearlman & Edwards,
19822533). While some degree of change in the community response is
indeed an expected and desirable outcome of individual advocacy efforts
(Davidson & Rapp, 1976; Pearlman & Edwards, 1982), such outcomes have
been slow in coming for battered women. The Inappropriate and hesitant
community response to battered women (Burris & Jaffe, 1984) emphasizes
the fact that individual advocacy efforts alone have not increased the
person-environment fit for battered women in a timely manner. Specific,
direct advocacy efforts to create administrative level change are needed to
spur the increase in the person-environment fit. And before these efforts are

24
made, the battered woman's perpective must be thoroughly investigated and
included in advocacy strategies.

The primary problem with the shelter model is its limited scope in
creating social change. However, they were not created to handle all
aspects of violence, but had limited goals. One important effort they could
work toward would be to coordinate the resources and agencies which may
serve battered women (Burris &'Jaffe,1984; Davis, 1984; McShane, 1979).
Of course, the information from the victims themselves needs to be collected
first and incorporated into any strategies to coordinate efforts. A goal of the
present research was to collect information from the women that could be
included in such strategies.

The shelters are short of funds for such expansion, however. The
Federal government is lessening its responsibility for funding these shelters.
Since the CETA funds were cut in the late 1970s and early 80s, staff
members were dropped drastically and the shelters are run almost entirely
by volunteer efforts (Roberts,1981). Another difficulty lies in the lack of
research. There are few studies of the use of shelters and women's
subsequent adjustment (Snyder & Scheer, 1981). There is very little
aftercare; usually the extent is one meeting a week for discussion and
support (Roberts,1981).
theumementicns

One of the most popular interventions is couple or marriage
counseling despite research results which suggested that this form of
counseling is often ineffective by itself because violence is not a function of
the quality of the relationship (Burris & Jaffe,1984). Communication and
relational issues distract from the main objective of stopping the violence.
This kind of counseling cannot break the victim blaming pattern.

CATF (1978) reported that Michigan law, procedures and practices
provided almost no remedy for the crime of domestic violence. However,
there have been some changes recently. Injunctions are obtained more

2 5
frequently now, forbidding the assailant from contacting the victim.
Legislators have responded to this problem by altering civil and criminal
remedies, and have passed an act requiring police to inform victims of
available services and their rights when respOnding to a domestic
disturbance call. Some states have imposed a surcharge on marriage
licenses, with the resulting funds given to domestic violence programs
(Kalmuss & Straus, 1983).

Locally organized responses to spouse abuse are programs
developed by a range of organizations, such as YWCAs, community service
agencies, and women's groups. Kalmuss and Straus (1983) reported that
the number of programs range from 2 to 78 per state, and that state
characteristics and interest groups are the determinants of the extent of
responsiveness.

Many researchers urged more outreach and community education,
the development of new or more specialized programs, and increased
coordination between and within current services in order for victims and
assailants to receive effective community intervention (Burris & Jaffe, 1984;
Heinlzelman, 1980).

In summary, many theories about the causes and maintenance of
domestic violence have been discussed, yet the interventions implied by
these theories are problematic. Some interventions outlined require
intensive individualized professional help, such as victim counseling,
assailant counseling, and marriage counseling. The main limitations here
are that help can only be gotten voluntarily, for one person at a time, with the
inefficient use of personpower, and the desired outcome requiring along
period of time (if at all).

Many theories outline factors contributing to this epidemic which are
not easily amenable to alteration, such as family history, personality, social
learning, and family dynamics. The social and cultural level analyses
outline interventions that require changes in community norms, laws and

2 6
procedures, family roles, institutions, and the devaluation of women, which
also appear not amenable to rapid change.

The Environmental Resources approach, however, does offer some
feasible Intervention strategies, which could possibly Impact on seemingly
difficult areas, by utilizing various advocacy strategies to improve the
person-environment fit. By mobilizing and generating appropriate
resources, these strategies may create a change in a person's lifestyle and
living arrangement, both in the short-term and long-term. These advocacy
strategies do not completely alter the environment, but make it more
responsive to people's needs. Improvement in the person-environment fit
can be made more rapidly at the administrative and policy levels, rather than
the individual level. Advocacy strategies to mobilize resources can also be
used at an individual level, such as shelter workers often do, accessing
individual resources for individual women. One of the main purposes of the
present research was to gather information to be used in developing such
advocacy stategies.

E I' III' I' .

Loseke and Cahill (1984) outlined the emergence of a very diverse
group of self-identified experts in the late 70$, speaking on behalf of battered
women to the media, in government hearings, and legal procedings. This
group included academic personnel, social service providers, political
activists, and journalists. Their claims of expertise were based on
intellectual study or social service provision. This group did not share a
vocabulary nor an ideology. They did share the belief that their
“Understandings should be used to educate and assist those who are less
knowledgeable and fortunate" (Loseke & Cahill,1984:296). The great need
for expert intervention reflected a concern with the question of why
battered women remain in relationships with abusive males.

Loseke and Cahill (1984) examined the behavior of the experts and
pointed out that experts, by asking and answering this question, have

2 7
created a new category of deviance--battered women who remain with their
mates. These experts concluded that when a woman admits to being a
victim of assault, and doesn't leave, then her competence is questioned.
These women are defined as the type requiring assistance, and unable to
manage their affairs. The researchers suggested that experts have
reinterpreted the justifications that battered women give for staying, and
hence maintain their claim that these women require specialized help. This
claim benefits the experts, by providing them with jobs. Loseke & Cahill
(1984) maintained that the experts practice ”Victimism" (knowing the person
only as a victim) and fail to recognize findings that illustrate the
multidimensionality of battered women's relationship with their mates.
Some have actually advised that battered women's claims of attachment
and commitment to their mates should not be believed I The result is that
experts create a situation where the victims may lose control over their
self-definitions, interpretations of their experience, and sometimes control
over their private lives. Loseke & Cahill (1984) proposed that victims are
twice victimized, first by their mates, then by experts claiming to act on their
behafl.

The emphasis on women who remain in a violent relationship means
that researchers fail to notice and account for the women who stop the '
relationship earlier on. The concern with women who stay is appropriate in
that those women are In more danger, physically and psychologically.
However, focusing on those who successfully sever their relationship helps
balance the view of women as helpless victims; indicates higher incidence
and prevalence rates; and can teach us more about how women become
entrapped or are unable to leave (Okun, 1986). Okun (1986) emphasized
that when authors/researchers examine these who do not stay in violent
relationships, they need to do so with the intention of finding the factors
which enhance freedom-mot blame the victim of recurrent battery.

In summary, the need for data from the victims of domestic violence is

2 8
great, given the large number of experts claiming to act on the women's
behalf. These survivors are not deviant, they are women with unfulfilled
needs. An examination of their financial needs and resources may indeed
shed light on why many women remain trapped in a violent situation longer
than others. This information can only come from the victims themselves.
W

The Environmental Resources approach Is the theoretical concept on
which the present research was based. This concept is used in Community
Psychology as an alternative perspective on "problem” behavior (Davidson
& Rappaport, 1978). This approach differs from traditional approaches
which try to eradicate individual differences and shape the individual toward
the social norm. These traditional approaches are based on the belief that
individual differences are undesirable (Davidson & Rappaport, 1978). The
Environmental approach is not concerned with individual or environmental
level differences. This concept acknowledges differences as assets in a
pluralistic society. This model does not try to change only the individual, nor
only the environment, as some traditional approaches do, but rather create
intervention alternatives to maximize the person-environment fit (Rappaport,
1977). It suggests the need to re-direct community resources to meet unmet
needs, instead of focusing on interventions suggested by traditional
concepts-intensive individualized professional service or the enrichment of
deprived environments (Davidson & Rapp, 1976).

The Environmental Resources model is a universalistic, not
exceptionalistic, approach which stresses the right of all individuals to have
their needs fulfilled, and suggests that at present, “problem" group's needs
remain largely unfilled. This approach is used to ensure that needs are met.
Its goal is to access community resources to fill any area of unmet need
(Davidson & Rapp, 1976).

This model is essentially a set of approaches, a multiple strategy
model of advocacy (Davidson 8 Rapp,1976). The first set of strategies

2 9
consists of a continumm from positive to negative salesmanship tactics in
dealing with the target--the person or agency in control of the needed
resource. The positive approach includes trying to gain the good favor of the
target. The neutral approach basically provides information about the unmet
needs to the target. The negative approach includes taking aversive action,
or using that threat against the target.

The second set of strategies Is a continumm of approaches to create
changes from individual to societal levels. The individual level targets an
individual in control of a resource; the administrative level targets agencies;
and the policy level targets political or social systems for change. The two
sets of strategies interact to form nine possible strategies for generating,
mobilizing or creating resources. The essential part of this advocacy
approach is to choose a strategy that will result in accessing needed
resources (Davidson & Rapp, 1976).

The components of this multiple-strategy model of advocacy are
interrelated and interacting. The model requires utilizing multiple
organizational levels of intervention and assessment. The phases of
assessment, strategy selection and implementation, evaluation, and
re-evaluation are continuous interdependent processes, receiving input from
internal feedback loops in the model and from external sources. Note that
this model can be used to generate resources for individuals, or in
advocating for resources for groups of people, such as battered women.

This Environmental Resources model of advocacy is the theoretical
framework on which this current research was based. From this perspective
battered women are not seen as deviant, but as a group of individuals with
unmet needs. The ultimate goal, then, is to provide them with the resources
to fill their various needs. With these resources, they can make significant
changes in their life situation. Again, at the core of this advocacy approach
is the belief in the rights of people to control environmental resources for
themselves. A fundamental part of this framework is that the battering is

3 0
largely due to societal factors and processes outlined in the preceding
multi-level analysis. Throughout history, these victims were a silenced and
invisible group. Today the community is not adequately responsive to their
needs, and although they have a right to have their needs fulfilled, they are
largely unable to access resources due in part to their powerless position in
society. The battered woman's needs are not completely understood, and
hence the community lacks apprOpriate resources to fill them.

A goal of the present research was to gain information from the
battered victims themselves, in order to better understand their needs. This
information will enable us to create strategies to fill these needs and improve
the person-environment fit. These battered women, these survivors, have a
variety of unmet needs, as evidenced by the inadequate community
response of service providers (Burris & Jaffe, 1984; Davis,1984). But the
specifics of which and how gaps in service provision most need to be filled is
still unknown due to the lack of systematic input from the women themselves
(Davis,1 984).

The present study attempted to gather from the survivors the
information needed for strategy development to increase the
person-environment fit. The research focused on financial need priorities
and current financial resources accessed by the women. This information
may be used for creating individual, administrative, or policy level changes.
At the individual level, shelter volunteers and service providers could be
better informed and educated. At the policy level, legislators could be
targeted for lobbying for specific funds or projects or the Department of
Social Services could develop new services or modify existing ones. The
information gathered from this research was mainly intended to aid the
development of administrative level change. At the administrative level,
shelters and other service agencies could develop new programs or
services or modify the use of existing resources. Since funding of service
agencies such as shelters is limited (Roberts, 1981), their resources must be

31
utilized most efficiently to maximize their impact.

To summarize, the Environmental Resources model of advocacy Is
the theoretical foundation used in the present research. This model
acknowledges the social processes causing and maintaining domestic
violence, and does not perceive the victim as the cause of this social
problem. It views these women as having unmet needs, like many other
powerless groups. The goals of the present research Included
understanding what specific financial needs were unmet, what changes in
community resources were desired, and what resources had been
accessed. This information can be used to create strategies to mobilize and
generate resources to fill the wdmen's unmet needs, and hence their ability
to change their life situation. I

Again, the needs assessment data is from the women's perspectives,
not from the experts. The goal was to produce usable information from the
potential recipients. The main goal of any community-oriented Needs
Assessment is to ”...facilitate community input into human service delivery."
(Neuber, 1980). The future resources generated or improved can be used to
alter the battered woman's living situation, which in turn can result in the
empowerment of the women and a decrease in the individual, familial, and
societal costs generated by the criminal actions of the assailant.

I I'll" I' I II B I
C 'l B

Davis (1984) stated that the apparent inadequate response of service
providers is largely based on anecdotal evidence, and there is a lack of
systematic research to document service delivery. Davis (1984) found that
the available empirical data regarding service delivery is from four types of
sources. First is research identifying gaps in service provision and the
provider's knowledge of available services, such as Star (1982) and Bass 8.
Rice (1979). Second, there is research into the failure of service providers to
identify victims of domestic violence. Third, there is research assessing the

3 2
attitudes of service providers, such as Davis & Carlson (1981). Data
gathered from these sources about the community response to battered
women documents the need for improvement in service provision to this
population.

Burris and Jaffe (1984) contended that the inadequate community
responses of social service, medical, criminal justice, and mental health
professionals consisted not only of their tendency to blame the victim, but
also the superficial treatment of the problems, and the limited number of
referrals to other agencies. The proposed research will examine the amount
of information, referrals, and advocacy efforts received from community
agencies and the perceived helpfulness of these efforts.

The fourth source of empirical data regarding service delivery is the
victims themselves. Davis (1984) reported that there have been few studies
which systematically collected data from the victims. An examination of the
few studies which collected data from the women themselves highlights the
need for the present study. Several researchers have looked at general
financial data as one of many factors related to the
staying-leaving-returning- to-the-abuser issue, from the women's
perspective. They did not examine what were the specific financial
resources needed, and their research results do indicate the need to
investigate this further. One of the goals of the present research was to
examine these issues.

Roy (1977) found that "money“ in general was one of seven reasons
related to the separation issue. Dobash & Dobash (1979) similarly found
that "financial support” was one of four factors related to this issue. Strube &
Barbour (1984) looked at both subjective and objective factors in the
stay-Ieave-retum phenomena and found that “economic hardship“ was one
of eight factors involved. Interestingly, length of the relationship was also a
main factor.

Economic dependence was the subject of other research

3 3
investigations, where data from the women was collected. Kalmuss 8
Straus (1982) looked at and compared objective and subjective
dependency of battered women, and concluded that efforts to help reduce
subjective perceptions of economic dependency will not be useful until they
are supplemented by objective dependency reductions. Strube & Barbour
(1983) looked at employment as a measure of economic dependency, and
concluded that employment was an important resource, significantly related
to leaving.

Some research data has also been collected from abused women
regarding resources in general. These focused on the women's
help-seeking behaviors and level of satisfaction with community resources,
or again the impact these had on ending the abuse. The results consistently
indicate dissatisfaction with community resources. The present research
also addresses how helpful the resources accessed were, and what
changes are needed in community services and resources.

Gelles (1976) questioned women about their resources and the
relationship between these and attempts to end the abuse. However, the
interview was unstructured and informal, so the data's validity is open to
question. Nonetheless, his findings indicated that the more resources a
woman had, the more likely she was to try to end the abuse. Unfortunately,
he was not clear about what these resources were. He also indicated that
75 % of the women had sought help and were not satisfied with it.

Kuhl (1982) investigated who knew of the woman's abuse and tried
to intervene, as a measure of community resources. He looked at both
service providers and friends and family. Kuhl's results were unclear. The
present research also examined resources accessed from both sources.

Donate & Bowker (1984) compared counseling resources, and found
battered women were assisted more by women's groups than by traditional
service agencies. However, their sample consisted of forrneriy battered
women because this was an effort to compare these resources as aids in

3 4
ending the abuse in the long term. Mitchell & Hodson (1983) investigated
battered women's personal resources in relation to their stress coping
strategies. They concluded that personal resources, such as education, job
skills or employment, may help adjustment by lowering women's
apprehensions about their ability to follow through on a decision to leave the
relationship. However, these ”personal resources" can also be perceived as
resources to lessen economic dependency on the abuser. Personal
resources were also examined in the present research.

Finally, Snyder & Scheer (1981), in the first systematic effort to
empirically determine the factors predictive of actual disposition after
leaving a shelter, investigated the utilization of shelter services as one of
many potential factors. They found no relationship there. Interestingly, they
did find that length of marriage, number of previous separations, and
religious affilation were good predictor variables of disposition after shelter
residency. The present research also investigated relationships between
these variables and the women's resources.

In summary, it is evident from the research that financial situations will
have some impact on a woman's ability to separate from her abuser.
Unfortunately, no studies have looked at the specific financial needs of
battered women residing at a shelter, the specific resources desired or
accessed, nor the type and source of such resources in a systematic
manner, from the women themselves. The present study examined these
variables, and provided a supplement to previous research by looking at
specific areas of financial need and their relative importance; by asking what
changes they would recommend in community services; by documenting
service delivery in the community and the amount of resources accessed
from informal sources; and examining relationships between variables.
Wooden!

To reiterate, the present research gathered information about
battered women's financial needs and resources in order that this

3 5
information may eventually be used to improve the community response to
this costly and potentially life-threatening situation. The method for
gathering this information was a Needs Assessment interview with residents
at a battered women's shelter.

The needs assessment procedure is an invaluable tool for
understanding a population, perhaps especially so for a population blamed
for its own victimization. This needs assessment procedure is useful
because of the lack of research data generated by the target population itself
(as discussed previously), and the proliferation of theory. A needs
assessment allows for a descriptive analysis, and the data generated
provide a foundation for conceptualizing research problems and projects,
and for making programmatic decisions about the use of resources for
battered women.

The specific information about battered women's needs, and
suggestions for changes in community resources, from the battered women
themselves was needed in order to develop strategies to mobilize and
generate financial resources for battered women. With this input, shelters
and other service agencies can make fully informed programmatic decisions
about their services. They can modify and coordinate existing services and
develop new ones to better meet the financial needs of this population. The
goals of the research included documenting service provision to this
population, and examining the relationship between financial resources and
other variables such as relationship with the assailant.

In summary, the research specifically examined: the perceived
relative importance of various financial needs (i.e. monies or services for
shelter, transportation, medical needs, and more); the types of financial
resources accessed by both community and informal (social) sources;
changes desired in community resources and service provision; the amount
of personal resources; the demographic and historical attributes of the
women; and relationships between some of these factors.

36

W

There were ten research questions examined:

1) What are the areas of greatest financial need for the battered women?

The specific financial needs of this population is of primary concern in
the development of strategies to aid them. As discussed earlier, many
researchers have begun to explore the financial situations of this population,
but more specific information about the needs and priorities of these women
must be explored (Dobash & Dobash, 1979; Gelles, 1976; Kalmuss &
Straus, 1982; Roy, 1977; Strube & Barbour, 1983, 1984). In this Needs
Assessment the women themselves provided the information from which
strategies can be formulated.

2) What changes in community services are suggested by the women?

3) What financial resources have the shelter residents accessed from the
community?

4) What relationship exists between the amount of direct resources (money,
goods and services) accessed and the amount of indirect resources
(information, referral and advocacy efforts) accessed by the women? (This
applies to both community and informal sources)

In these research questions, the goal was to gather information on the
types of resources accessed from the community, and to document any gaps
in direct service provision, or information and referrals. There is a lack of
systematic documentation of service delivery to battered women (Davis,
1984). As discussed previously, the community response to this violence
against women has been inadequate, characterized by scarcity, ignorance,
and apathy (Bass & Rice, 1979; Burris & Jaffe, 1984; and Star, 1982). There
is a need to know the womens' experiences with community service
providers and resources, in order to create realistic strategies to meet the
needs of this population.

3 7
5) What financial resources have the women accessed from informal
sources such as friends and family members?
6) What relationship exists between the amount of community resources
accessed and the amount of informal (friends and family) resources
accessed by the women?

In these questions, the focus is on the source of financial resources.
Part of any Needs Assessment is knowledge of the sources of resources
available to the population. Informal sources such as family and friends
have largely been ignored by researchers. Kuhl (1982) began to examine
these sources, but his results were unclear. Knowledge of Informal sources
can aid in the development of strategies to meet battered womens' needs.
For example, are these sources able to provide appropriate referrals, and
what does this imply about outreach and education to the general public?
Are women who receive help from informal sources less likely or more likely
to receive help from community agencies, and what does this relationship
imply about strategy selection?

7) What are the demographic and background attributes of the women?
8) What relationship exists between the womens' personal resources and
financial resources?

9) What relationship exists between the womens' resources and religious
affiliation?

10) What are the relationships between the womens' resources and: the
duration of the relationship with the assailant; the type of relationship (i.e.
married, boyfriend, or other) with the assailant; and the number of
separations from the assailant.

In these research questions, goals included documenting the
population being researched, and better understanding the population by
examining characteristics of the women, and relationships between
variables. Again, this information is important in the development and
selection of strategies to better meet the needs of the population. Several

3 8
researchers have found these variables to be related to ability to separate
from the assailant (Mitchell 8 Hodson, 1983; Snyder 8 Scheer, 1981), and
are therefore of primary importance in accessing resources.

METHODOLOGY
Santos

The setting for this research was the Lansing shelter for battered
women, the Council Against Domestic Assault [CADA]. The shelter
residents are accepted into the shelter because they have no other safe
alternatives for temporary housing. All residents are over 18 or are legally
emancipated minors. The women and their dependent children are allowed
to remain for up to 30 days at the shelter. The shelter houses about 30
women a month, and about 360 per year.

There is a 3.5 to 1 ratio of non-repeat residents to repeat residents.
This does not reflect how often they return to the shelter, nor how often they
leave their assailants, but only how many have been a resident at CADA
before. There is a 2.4 to 1 ratio of women with children to those without.
Approximately one-third of the mothers have one child. About one-third of
the mothers have two children, and the other third have three or more.
Approximately one-third of all residents stay at the shelter three days or less.
More than one-third stay between 4 and 19 days, and more than a quarter
stay 20 or more days.

Sum:

The subjects in the study were all residents of the CADA shelter
discussed above. A total of 63 residents were approached to participate in
the interview. 01 these 63, 16 were not included in the study for various
reasons: 4 refused; 3 agreed but did not appear for the interview; 9 agreed
but could not find the time to participate. Fourty-seven complete interviews
were obtained. The interviews were completed between March and August
of 1988.

D I . CI | . I'
Table 1 presents the demographic characteristics of the interview
sample. The table shows that over half (51%) of the women interviewed
39

4 0
were caucasian; well over half (65%) had a high school diploma, and of
these women, 16% had some amount of college. Sixty percent of the
sample had never been In a battered women's shelter before; but only 13%
had never been separated from the assailant previously. The average
length of the relationship with the assailant was 6.8 years; whereas the
average length of the abuse in the relationship was 5.5 years. Almost all of
the women were physically and emotionally abused, and 76% suffered from
economic abuses as well.

Table 2 indicates the economic resources of the sample at the time of
the interview. The most common resource was Foodstamps, held by 67% of
the women, followed by Medicaid (62%), and Aid to Families of Dependent
Children (48%). Fifteen percent of the women had jobs; 15% had no
financial resources whatsoever.

CADA files were used to gather demographic information on the 16
women who declined to participate in the research, to ascertain if they
differed from the participants in any way. These women did not significantly
differ from the sample in terms of age; race; parenthood; shelter use; 088
assistance; marital status; cohabitation status; nor type of abuse
expenenced.

Differences were found between the sample and non-participants in
education levels; employment status; and length of time abused. Thirty-one
percent of the non-participants had some college, compared to 16% of the
sample; 19% of non-participants had less than 12th grade education,
compared to 33% of the sample. Thirty-one percent (5) of the
non-participants were employed (about half full-time), compared to 13% of
the sample. Six percent of the non-participants experienced more than 5
years of abuse, whereas one-third of the sample had experienced more than
5 years of abuse.

Despite the tendancy toward increased educational level and
employment status (the more educated and the employed women were not

4 1
necessarily the same women), there is some Indication that the
non-participants are still poor; 81% of the non-participants received some
kind of assistance from the Department of Social Services. They are
virtually identical to the sample in the receipt of Social Security and
Unemployment Insurance, as well as DSS programs: General Assistance;
Aid to Dependent Children; Foodstamps; and Medicaid. Given these facts.
the non-participants appear similar to the sample, financially.

The main difference with the employed women may be that they did
not have enough time to do the interview. The differences in the length of
abuse may actually be related to employment or educational status. As will
be discussed subsequently, a few women in the sample indicated that
assailant interference hindered employment options. It is possible that the
assailant increases abuses such as social isolation overtime, just as he
does physical abuse, which would impact on the woman's ability to work or
go to school. It would therefore appear that the length of time abused is the
important difference between the sample and the non-participants.

W
I | . I . . .

In addition to the principle investigator, three other interviewers were
utilized to expedite data collection. Michigan State University
undergraduate students participating received independent study credits for
their work. The initial training included leamlng about domestic violence by
reading material and discussion. The interviewers learned proper interview
procedures by studying an interviewer's handbook, discussion, and by role
playing interviews. The goals of the research, commitment to confidentiality,
purposes of questions in the interview were also discussed in depth. The
researcher and the undergraduate interviewers met several times to discuss
the material, interview procedures, and to practice roleplays.

The interviewers also received ongoing training in weekly meetings
with the researcher. In these meetings, discussions, roleplays and

4 2
problem-solving were utilized to deal with any questions or potential
problems. All interviewers were fully involved in these processes, and
provided feedback to each other. The undergraduate interviewers were free
to contact the investigator at any time between meetings as well, if Issues
arose, or clarification was needed.

The interviewers each conducted two pilot interviews in the field,
which accomplished several goals. First, it was a test of the interview's
appropriateness. Second, it furthered the interviewers training by direct
experience. Thirdly, It helped training by observation of others. Finally, it
provided a measure of inter-rater reliability. The interviewers each listened
to and coded each other's tapes in orderto ascertain the percentage of
agreement between interviewers. These pilot interviews averaged over
90% agreement between interviewers.

Additionally, to insure continuing accuracy and consistency in
interview procedures, the interviewers continued to listen to and code each
others taped Interviews throughout data collection.

Qataficllecticn.

Pilot interviews were conducted at the shelter, with the shelter
residents. The pilot interviews were conducted exactly as the actual
interviews, except that one of the other interviewers was observing the
procedure. It was explained to the pilot interviewee that the observer was
there as part of her training; that all responses were strictly confidential; and
that this was a pilot interview, designed to determine if the measure was
satisfactory in order to collect data.

Procedures for conducting the interviews included getting updated
information from the shelter staff about the current residents and new
intakes. The residents were approached individually by one of the
interviewers, and asked to participate. As new residents came in, they were
approached on their third day at the shelter. The third day appeared to be
the first reasonable opportunity to approach them, because the first two days

4 3
are strenuous. The women typically spend this time getting adjusted to the
shelter and do a lot of shelter paperwork. It was likely that if approached on
the first or second day, the women would decline due to being busy with
decisions to make, business to take care of, and adjustments to make In their
new environment. This procedure resulted in the loss of 45 potential
subjects because some women did not stay three days.

When approached, the residents were asked to participate In the
interview, which was described as an hour long, strictly confidential, with
one interviewer and a tape recorder. The purpose was truthfully presented
as helping to gather specific information about the financial needs and
resources of battered women, which could be translated into appropriate
future programs for them in the community.

If the woman agreed to be interviewed, the interview was conducted
then, or an appointment was set. For mothers, we attempted to conduct the
interview at a time which coincided with the shelter's childcare time. Those
who declined to participate were replaced by the next entering resident.
Before the interview began, the woman again received verbal introduction
of the purpose and content of the interview and was asked permission to
tape the interview. The interviews were be held in a private room or office at
the shelter. The residents signed a participant agreement form and were
given the opportunity to ask questions before the interview began.

testament

The needs assessment interview (see appendix) was based on an
extensive review of the literature. The format and questions were rationally
developed by the investigator with input from committee members, and
shelter staff. It was pilot tested with 8 women residing at the shelter. The
interview consisted of demographic; needs; community resource; and
informal resource sections.

The demographic/background section of the Needs Assessment
interview gathered information about residents' attributes including age;

44

race; education; income; employment; children; previous shelter use; length
of relationship with assailant; living arrangement; separation history; plans
for separation from assailant; and the types of abuse perpetrated by the
assailant. This section included both open- and closed-ended questions.

The needs section of the Needs Assessment interview gathered
information regarding various areas of financial need, including housing;
childcare; legal fees; food; utilities and heating costs; transportation;
clothing; medical bills; personal care items; and household items. The
interviewees were asked if they had resources in these areas, and were
asked to rate the importance of getting financial help or support for each
area, on a 6 point scale ranging from very unimportant to very important. For
every set of questions in the measure regarding areas of financial need,
there was an opportunity to get information about financial areas not
mentioned. The interviewees were also asked to rank the financial areas, by
choosing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on most important areas for financial help.

The community resource section of the interview gathered
information on the women's recently (past three months) accessed financial
resources from community agencies. The resources are based on the
categories of needs outlined above. It asked if they sought help from any
community agencies, if they received help, from whom, what kind, and how
helpful it was in meeting their needs. The helpfulness was gauged on a
Likert scale ranging from ”not at all helpful” to “very helpful”. If the response
was less than ”helpful", it was followed by an open-ended question about
what and why it was not helpful. All interviewees were asked what changes
they would suggest in community agencies providing resources! services,
for each financial area. An open-ended question of what the agency
specifically did was asked, in order to determine if their categorization of
type of help was accurate, and to discover the exact nature of the resource
provided. These questions were asked for all financial areas.

The informal (friends and family) resources section of the Needs

4 5
Assessment instrument followed the same format and gathered similar
information as the community resource section. The interview also asked
open-ended questions about what the women expect in the future and what
goals they have for themselves.
I! I'll IE I' III

The interview contained some potentially high demand questions,
Involving the resident's relationship with the assailant. The investigator
maximized the validity of the responses by carefully wording the questions to
avoid reponse bias; by using carefully worded phrases to introduce the
questions; and by placing the demographic/background questions at the
end of the interview, as suggested by Dillman (1978).

The reliability of the interviewers' coding was assessed by inter-rater
reliability tests. Throughout the data collection, recorded interviews were
listened to and coded by another interviewer. This was done for 10% of the
interviews. The rate of agreement between the pairs averaged 93% percent.
The rate of agreement was calculated by summing the number of
agreed-upon responses to open and closedended questions, and dividing
this by the total number of possible responses.

W

Several research questions concerned relationships between
"personal resources" and other variables: resources accessed; religion;
and assailant variables. The first step toward these analyses involved
developing a personal resource scale to provide a relative score of
experiential resources for each subject, based on current employment;
education level; amount of job skills (not necessarily used in the past two
years); amount of experience using job skills in the past two years; whether
they were employed in the last two years; the duration of employment; and
whether past employment was full or part time. Reliabilities were
performed to determine the viability of a scale. Based on the results of these
analyses, a scale of work history was developed from three items which

4 6
included whether they were employed in the last two years; whether this
was a minimum of 4 months in the past two years; and whether it was full or
part time. Thecorrected Item-total correlations for this scale were between
.48 and .73; the Alpha level was .79. The four other personal resource
variables which were not included in the work history scale were examined
individually.

Current employment was, of course, treated as categorical data.
Before performing analyses on the interval data of the three remaining
personal resource variables, they were examined through the use of a
frequency distribution histogram. All variables displayed a normal
distribution, except amount of experience using job skills, which was
weighted on the low end. Because of the distribution, it was decided to treat
this variable as categorical, and dichotomize it into low and high amounts of
experience using job skills in the past two years. The other two variables,
education and amount of job skills, were examined as interval data.

47

 

 

Table 1
D I . Cl I . I'
Item N %
Ana
Mean Age 28.1
Median Age 27.0
Standard Deviation 8.3
Base
White 24 51.0
Black 15 32.0
Hispanic 4 9.0
Native American 2 4.0
Other 2 4.0
Education
811 16 34.0
12 23 49.0
Some College 7 14.0
Bachelors Degree 1 2.0
Mean Grade 11.6
Median Grade 12.0
Standard Deviation 1.6
E l' .
Other 15 32.0
Baptist 13 28.0
None 9 19.0
Catholic 5 11.0
Protestant 2 4.0
Lutheran 2 4.0
Jehovah's Witness 1 2.0
Remaining
Mothers 39 83.0
Not Mothers 4 9.0
Mothers without Custody or

without Minor Children 4 9.0

Table 1 (cont'd.)

ShelteLUseuistonr
First Time in Shelter
Second Time In Shelter
Third or More

S l' l E 'l |
First Separation

Second Separation

Third

4th thru 9th

10th or more

Husband
Boyfriend
Ex-boyfriend
Other

4 Months - 3 Years

3.5 - 6 Years

6.5 -10.5 Years

11-38 Years

Mean time (years)

Median time (years)
Standard Deviation (years)

Living Together
Living Separately
Informal Separation

W

1 Month - 3 Years

3.5 - 5 Years

6 - 9 Years

11- 38 Years

Mean Time (years)

Median Time (years)
Standard Deviation (years)

48

28
12

10
17
11

26
10

17
14

31
12

VOGO'I

6.8
5.0
7.7

5.5
3.0
7.5

60.0
15.0
25.0

13.0

6.0
21 .0
37.0
23.0

55.0
21.0
19.0

4.0

36.0
30.0
19.0
15.0

66.0
26.0
9.0

53.0
12.8
19.2
15.0

Physical
Emotional

Social Isolation (a)
Economic (b)
Sexual

a N=41

b N=45

A
to

632888

98.0
96.0
85.0
76.0
40.0

5 0
Table 2

WWW

 

Resource

Source of Income

 

Application Pending N %
Source of Income 31 67.0
Application Pending 5 11.0

II I. . I
Source of Income 29 62.0
Application Pending 5 11.0
Source of Income 22 48.0
Application Pending 6 13.0
GeneLaLAssistance
Source of Income 4 9.0
Application Pending 5 11.0
Source of Income 3 6.0
Application Pending 2 4.0
Source of Income 7 15.0

Application Pending 4 9.0

5 1
Table 2 (cont'd.)

8|anch

No Source of Income

Source of Income
Application Pending

Source of Income
Source of Income

Source of Income

15.0

13.0
17.0

4.0

2.0

0.0

RESULTS
mm

The purpose of the present study was to examine the financial needs
and resources of battered women. The specific components investigated
were: types and sources of resources recently accessed; areas of greatest
financial need; changes suggested in community agencies; and
demographic and other background characteristics of the sample. In »
addition, helpfulness ratings of resources accessed were obtained, as well
as reasons for not seeking resources.

0 . I' E l
E i E I | E' . I I l |

Tables 3, 4, and 5 report the areas of greatest financial need in
different ways. Table 3 shows the need for financial resources according to
the mean rank for the twelve financial areas. Rent and Housing Deposit
were chosen as first and second areas, respectively, of greatest financial
need.

Table 4 indicates the need for financial resources, according to a
scale in which 1 represents very unimportant, and 6, very important.
Household Items and Employment averaged between "somewhat important”
and ”important". The other 10 areas had a mean between "important” and
"very important”. Thus, all the financial areas asked about were perceived
to be in the ”important” range.

Table 5 presents the number of women who have resources in each
of the 12 areas. Fifty-seven percent of the sample perceived themselves as
having Medical resources, whereas only 6% perceived having Legal
resources. Less than half of the sample perceived themselves to have
resources in 10 of the 12 areas. Temporary Shelter was not included in
Tables 3, 4, and 5 since the women had already accessed that resource at
the time of the interview.

52

5 3
B E I i Q 'I E .

Tables 6. 7. and 8 report information about the resources accessed
from the community. Table 6 indicates the number of women accessing
resources from community agencies in thirteen financial areas. Most, but not
all agencies were in the Lansing area. The table includes whether the
subject sought help; whether she received direct help; and if she received
indirect help. Direct help refers to money, goods or services; whereas
indirect help indicates information or referrals. These numbers reflect the
number of women receiving help, not the number of resources which they
accessed. Some women received help from more than one agency per
area, or more than one type (direct and indirect) per agency or area The
women most frequently (53%) sought help in the Food, Clothing, and
Housing Deposit areas. Fewer than 15% of the women in the sample
sought help for Utilities or ”Other Area”.

Less than a third of the women in the sample received direct help in
11 of 13 areas. Approximately half of the sample received direct help with
Food (47%) and Clothing (53%). McNemar chi-square analyses were
performed in each financial area, to determine if the differences between
seeking and receiving direct resources from the community agencies were
statistically significant. As indicated in Table 6. there were significant
differences between the number of women seeking and the number
receiving direct help in almost half of the 13 areas investigated. These
areas were: Housing Deposit; Temporary Shelter; Legal; Employment;
Medical; and Rent.

Less than 20% of the sample received indirect help (information and
referrals) in 11 of the 13 areas. Only in Legal (32%) and Temporary Shelter
(53%) did a larger portion of the sample receive information and referrals.

Table 7 reports the specific details of the resources which were
accessed from the agencies. The data were responses to open-ended
questions and were content analyzed before tabulating frequencies.

5 4
Table 7 reports both the number of women accessing resources and the
number of resources accessed. This table collapses as many as three
agencies per financial area. so that the number of resources accessed can
be greater than the number of women receiving resources.

The resource most commonly accessed (57 instances) was the
provision of free, Temporary Shelter. All 47 subjects accessed this
resource, and therefore, there were 10 instances of accessing this resource
in addition to the stay at the CADA shelter where the interviews took place.
Most instances of indirect resources, for all financial areas, were referrals to
specific agencies. Referrals to Legal Aid, Temporary Shelters, and DSS
were specified as such. Referrals to other specific agencies were collapsed
under the category of "Referral to Agency".

Table 8 reports the mean rating of the helpfulness of the resources
accessed from the community agencies. The helpfulness was gauged on a
Likert-type scale, where 1 represented ”not at all helpful", and 5 was “very
helpful”. The ratings are mostly favorable for every financial area, except for
indirect help in childcare and legal areas. While most subjects

 

 

Ranking of Financial Area,

 

From First to Last M N SD
Rent 2.50 44 2.15
Housing Deposit 2.86 45 2.76
Food 4.36 44 1.63
Utilitiles/Heat 4.79 44 2.15
Transportation 6.26 45 2.61
Childcare 6.81 37 2.60
Medical 7.22 44 2.74
Clothing 7.48 45 2.53
Legal 7.67 43 2.98
Finding Employment 7.86 45 3.20
Household Items 7.88 43 2.52
Other 9.13 15 3.33

Table 4

 

 

Slll | IQIIH E' 'IB
Financial Resource Area M N SD
Other 5.81 16 .40
Rent 5.66 47 .84
Utilities 5.53 47 .97
Food 5.53 47 .99
Housing Deposit 5.42 47 1.17
Transportation 5.31 47 1 .08
Clothing 5.08 47 1 .26
Medical 5.06 47 1 .58
Legal 5.04 46 1.54
Childcare 5.02 39 1 .51
Household Items 4.93 47 1.46
Employment 4.66 47 1 .67
Scale

6: Very Important

5: Important

4: Somewhat Important
3= Somewhat Unimportant
2= Unimportant

1= Very Unimportant

 

 

 

Financial Resource Area N %
Medical 27 57
Transportation 24 51
(Bus) 14 30
(Car) 8 17
(Other) 2 4
Can Find or Have Employment 20 43
Food 18 38
Housing Deposit 14 30
Rent 14 30
Utilities/Heat 13 28
Childcare 5 13
Household Items 5 11
Clothing 4 9
Legal 3 6
Other 2 4

5 8
Table 6

WW

 

Financial Resource Area

 

Response N %
Clothing
Sought Help 25 53.1
Received Direct Help 25 53.1
Received Indirect Help 6 12.7
Emd
Sought Help 25 53.1
Received Direct Help 22 46.8
Received Indirect Help 4 8.5
' ' (a)
Sought Help 25 53.1
Received Direct Help 14 29.7
Received Indirect Help 2 4.2
W12: (8)
Sought Help, Other Than CADA 21 44.6
Received Direct Help, Other Than CADA 8 17.0
Received Indirect Help, Including CADA 25 53.1
Legal (8)
Sought Help 21 44.6
Received Direct Help 6 12.7
Received Indirect Help 15 31.9
Sought Help 16 34.0
Received Direct Help 15 31.9
Received Indirect Help 2 4.2

5 9
Table 6 (cont'd)

Eindineimelexmem (a)
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

Medical (b)

Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

Bemfiaxmenfs (a)
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

Childcare

Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

tleuseheldjems
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

!!|°|'|° [I I I
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

QIIJeLArea
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

a P<.01
b P<.05

d‘l‘l NVCO

NOIG

31.9
12.7
19.1

29.7
17.0
8.5

29.7
12.7
2.1

26.0
20.5
5.1

19.1
14.8
4.2

14.8
14.8
2.1

12.7
10.6
4.2

6 0
Table 7

$118 E'IIIC 'I!’

 

Financial Resource Area
Type of Resource

Response

No. of
Resources Accessed

 

0mm

Drreet.Beseume
Provided Clothes, Free or Low Cost
Provided Vouchers for Diapers

Ind'LLeeIBeseuLee
Referral to Agency

Eoed

W

Provided Food or Vouchers for Food
Approved Foodstamp Application

IndirecLBeseume
Referral to Agency

ll . D 'I
Directfleseume

Approved Emergency Needs
Program (ENP) Application

Referral to Dept. of Social Services
Helped Woman Apply for the
Emergency Needs Program at DSS

6 1
Table 7 (cont'd)

IemeeraoLSIJelter
Dineetfleeeurce

Provided Temporary Shelter

Free of Charge (including CADA)

W

Referral to Agency

Referral to a Temporary Shelter
Referral to Legal Aid

Other

Leeal

Direetfleeeuree

Provided Free or Low Cost
Legal Services

Provided Legal Advice
Provided Advocacy Services

100W

Referral to Agency
Referral to Legal Aid
Offered Advocacy Services
Other

Itaneeenatien
Directfieseurce

Provided Bus Passes, Tokens,
or Money for Bus

Gave Rides or Gas Money
Gave Bus Fare to Another City

100W
Referral to DSS

57

dN-b

NNQN

6 2
Table 7 (cont'd)

E' I. E I I
DiLecLBeseuLce

Identified Appropriate Field or Gave
Info on Job Status

Helped Write and Type Resume
Provided Training with Pay
Provided Job

Provided Volunteer Job

indiLeeLBeseuLce

Provided Info on Job Listings,
Training, Grants, or MESC
Other

Medical

DiLeeLBeseume

Provided Medical Services
Paid Fees or Overdue Fees
Paid for Medication

Approved Medicaid Application
More than one of the above

Indirecifleseume

Referral to Agency

Bent

QiLeLLBeseuLee

Approved DSS Grant Application
Approved Supplemental Rent Appl.
Paid Past Due Mortgage Payment

indiLecLBesedLee
Missing

thldeaLe
W
Provided Childcare

Referral to DSS

‘QNNJ

63

Table 7 (cont'd)
Heueehodheme

Provided Furniture

Provided Other, Small Items
Provided Personal Need Items
Sold Items, Low Cost

IndirecLBeseuLce

Referral to Agency

”III III I

Dmeetfleseuice

Paid Past Due Bill

Provided Money for Utilities/Heat
Changed Payment Schedule/Extended
Approved Application for ADC

indiLQQLBeseuLee
Other

cheLALea

W

Paid 85% of Bill

Gave Voucher

Provided Low Cost Counseling
Provided Educational Grant

Paid Fee for Copy of Birth Certificate
Provided Free Counseling

indiLeeLBeseuLce
Referral to Agency
Missing

Adww

N-F-‘CO

—L—£—L—L—£—L

6 4
Table 8

BatmdeeLfleIniuIneseeLBeseumeeAeeessed
I0 'I!’

 

Financial Resource Area

 

Type of Resource M N SD
W

Direct Resource 4.6 43 .68
Indirect Resource 4.4 21 .97
Direct Resource 4.5 14 .85
Indirect Resource 5.0 2 .00
”HT II I I

Direct Resource 4.1 7 1.21
Indirect Resource 4.0 1 .00
Eeod

Direct Resource 4.5 22 .85
Indirect Resource 5.0 4 .00
Itahspectatieo

Direct Resource 4.8 15 .56
Indirect Resource 4.5 2 .70
Qlethihd

Direct Resource 4.2 25 .98
Indirect Resource 4.0 6 .89
Bent

Direct Resource 4.3 6 .81
Indirect Resource NA - --
heusehedneme

Direct Resource 4.0 7 1.15

Indirect Resource 5.0 2 .00

Table 8 (cont'd)
Childcare

Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

Legal

Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

Medical
Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

cheLArea

Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

1: Not At All Helpful
2: Not Very Helpful
3= Somewhat Helpful

4: Helpful
5: Very Helpful

65

4.8
3.5

5.0
3.5

4.6
4.0

4.8
4.3

5.0
5.0

.37
2.12

6 6
accessing direct resources in these areas rated them as “very helpful“, those
accessing indirect resources only rated them as “somewhat helpful“.
B E I I E . I I E 'l

Tables 9, 10, and 11 report data about the resources accessed from
friends and family members. Table 9 presents the number of women who
sought help, and the number who received direct and indirect help (again,
this is information and referrals) from friends and family, in each financial
area. This table reports the number of women who received help, not the
number of resources accessed per woman. The number of resources
accessed can be greater than the number of women accessing resources,
since women sometimes received help from more than one source per
financial area.

The areas in which the women were most likely to seek help were
Childcare, Transportation, and Temporary Shelter. One-quarter of the
sample sought help for Food, and less than 20% of the sample sought help
in the remaining nine financial areas. No subject sought help from friends
and family for the area of Rent Payments.

Most of the subjects who sought help received direct help for
Childcare (57%), and Transportation (53%) from friends and family
members. McNemar chi-square analyses were performed, to determine if
there were statistically significant differences between seeking and receiving
direct help from family and friends, in each financial area. Only in the area of
finding employment was a significant difference found. None of the 6
women seeking help in their job search received direct assistance, although
some did receive information or referrals.

Half of the women seeking assistance for temporary shelter (25%)
received indirect help. In the remaining twelve areas, less than 11% of the
women received information or referrals from friends and family members.

Table 10 presents the specific nature of the resources accessed from
friends and family members, and the number of women who received each

6 7

type of help. These were responses from an open-ended question, and
were content analyzed before tabulating the results. Most of the subjects
received similar kinds of assistance within each financial area. For example,
of the 25 women who received direct help with transportation,
24 of these received rides, or the loan of a car for a day.

Table 11 reports the mean rating of the helpfulness of the resources
accessed from friends and family members. Overall, the ratings are very
favorable, in every financial area.

BeaeeheieLNetfieelsindfieeeumee

Table 12 presents the suggestions for improving community agencies
given by the women in the sample, in each financial area, categorized
according to type of change strategy. These were responses to an
open-ended question, and were content analyzed before tabulating
frequencies. Categories of change strategies were independently created
by two of the researchers, and the inter-rater reliability of these efforts was
78%. The current categories of change strategies were developed by
mutual agreement of the two researchers. The suggestions given by the
interviewees were then coded according to the current categories of change
strategies. The inter-rater reliability for this coding was 88%. These
reliabilities were calculated by a simple percentage: dividing the number of
agreements in the coding by the total number of possible agreements.

Details of the suggestions given by the shelter residents are
presented in-depth in the appendix. There was a total of 347 suggestions.
The largest number of women providing suggestions in one financial area
was 40, in the Legal area.

The most common suggestions overall were the need for procedural!
policy changes in community agencies, and the need for more resources,
followed by the need for money. The need for procedural change was
mentioned in most of the financial areas, and was the most common

6 8
suggestion for Legal, Housing Deposit, and Temporary Shelter areas.
These procedural/policy changes included ideas about time lags in
receiving services; screening and eligibility of applicants; convenience;
vendoring payments; and bureaucratic policies.

The need for more resources included suggestions regarding
accessibility of resources, and the need for help in general (as opposed to a
more specific suggestion). The need for more resources/ more accessible
resources was the most common suggestion in Employment; Clothing;
Childcare; and Food areas, and was also prominent in Legal;
Transportation; and Household Item areas.

The need for more money included suggestions regarding agency
funding, funding to clients, and the affordability of resources. The need for
money was the most common suggestion in the areas of Rent and
Transportation, and was the second most frequent suggestion in Housing
Deposit, Legal; Childcare; Employment; and Medical areas.

The need for information and referrals, mentioned in 11 of the 13
areas, was suggested more than once in the areas of Household Items;
Utilities; Temporary Shelter; and Employment. The need for improved
treatment of clients was suggested in several areas, most notably in Legal;
Housing Deposit; and Household Items areas. Innovative and
non-traditional suggestions were given in ten areas, most notably in
Employment and Housing Deposit areas. Innovative suggestions included
ideas regarding bartering, home restorations, clearinghouses and childcare
providers.

Table 13 reports the reasons for not seeking help from community
agencies, in thirteen financial areas. These reasons were responses to an
open-ended question, and were content analyzed before tabulating. These
reasons reflect why agencies are not utilized, and may therefore provide
additional information about the improvements needed in service provision.
The responses of "no need” (unspecified), and ”has/had resources” were not

6 9
surprising. Women were least likely to report having (or having had)
resources in Temporary Shelter, Housing Deposit, and Childcare areas.
Many women indicated that they had resources in the past three months, but
did not have them at the time of the interview.

In addition to not needing resources, women reported reluctance to
ask; knowledge that agencies couldn't or wouldn't help; not knowing of
resources; recent need; obstacles from other areas; and assailant
interference as reasons for not seeking assistance from community
agencies. Assailant interference was reported as a reason for not seeking
assistance from community agencies in Temporary Shelter, Legal,
Childcare, and Employment areas. Some respondents reported that they
did not know of resources available in the areas of Temporary Shelter
(23%), Housing Deposits (18%), Transportation (13%), Household Items
(5%), and Utilities (3%). Women also reported that they only recently
needed help, or plan to seek help from an agency in ten of the twelve areas,
most notably in Temporary Shelter (23%). Housing Deposit (36%), and
Legal (31%) areas.

Table 14 presents data regarding why respondents did not seek help
from friends and family members. These were also responses to an
open-ended question, and were content analyzed before tabulating results.
In every financial area, some shelter residents reported that their friends and
family members were not resources available to them, due to the fact that
families were unwilling (though often able) or unable (lacked the resources
themselves, or were estranged from the woman) to assist. Similarfy, in
every financial area, the women reported (5 - 21%) being reluctant to ask for
help. "Has/had resources" was not a reason reported in the Legal area, and
was reported by less than 9% of the respondents in the areas of Temporary
Shelter and Housing Deposit. Assailant interference was given as a reason
for not seeking help from family and friends in the areas of Temporary
Shelter (26%), Food (3%), and Employment (5%).

7 0

In summary, the financial areas most important to the women in the
sample were those associated with housing, and fewer than a third of the
sample perceived themselves as having resources in these areas. Very few
of the women accessed community resources, especially indirect help, in
most of the financial areas discussed. About half the sample received help
from family and friends for transportation, childcare, and temporary shelter.
In the remaining areas, less than a quarter of the sample accessed
resources from family and friends. The resources accessed from both
community agencies and from friends and family were rated as helpful, for
the most part. The women in the sample had a great number of suggestions
for improving community agencies, particularly in the Legal area. The
suggestions focused heavily on the need for policy or procedural changes in
community agencies; the need for more resources and more accessible
resources; and the need for money, or more affordable resources.

QanelatixeAnalyses

Five research questions involved relationships between variables. A
variety of analyses were used to answer research questions involving
relationships, between variables. Pearson correlations were used when
both variables were interval data. T-tests were performed when one
variable was interval, and the other categorical. Crosstabs were used when
both variables in question were categorical.
BeseuiceeAecessed

One research question involved the relationship between direct and

indirect resources accessed. Before examining relationships, the total
number of resources for each type (direct or indirect type) was tabulated by
summing together each instance of accessing a resource of that type,
collapsing across sources (community and informal sources). The range of
total direct resources accessed was from 2 to 20. The range of total indirect
resources accessed was from 0 to 11. A Pearson Correlation was

7 1
performed to determine if a relationship exists between amount of direct
resources accessed and amount of indirect resources accessed. As Table
15 shows, there was a strong positive correlation of .48 between the two
variables, with a significance level of .001. This indicates that the more
direct resources were accessed, the more indirect resources were
accessed.

Similarly, a Pearson Correlation was periorrned to examine the ‘
relationship between the amounts of resources accessed from community
agencies and amounts accessed from friends and family. Again, the total
number of resources for each source was calculated by summing together
each instance of accessing a resource, collapsing across types (direct and
indirect). The range of total community resources accessed was from 1 to
18; the range of total family and friend resources accessed was from 0 to 20.
A moderately strong positive relationship was found between these two.
The correlation was .29 (P<.05), indicating that the more resources were
accessed from friends and family, the more resources were accessed from
community agencies.

For research questions involving relationships between resources
accessed and other variables, the total number of resources accessed
(collapsing and types and sources) was the variable examined. It is referred
to simply as ”resources accessed".

EersenaLBeeeuLcee

The third research question studying relationships concerned the
relationship between personal resources and resources accessed. Five
analyses were performed to answer this question, since there were five
personal resource variables: work history scale; education; job skills;
experience using job skills; current employment (see Methodology section
for information on the scale development of personal resources). Pearson
correlations were performed, and no significant relationships were found
between resources accessed and the work history scale, nor between

7 2
resources accessed and education. A significant positive relationship was
found between amount of job skills (which may or may not have been used
in the past two years) and total resources. As shown on Table 15, the
correlation was .37 (P<.0I). This result indicates that the higher the amount
of job skills, the higher the number of resources accessed.

The two other personal resource variables, current employment and
amount of experience using job skills, were examined through the use of
T-test analyses. The T-test, performed to examine the relationship between
current employment and resources accessed, produced a significant
relationship, based on pooled variance analyses. As shown in Table 16,
current employment was related to the total resources accessed (P<.05).
Employed women accessed more resources (mean=16.50) than did the
unemployed women (mean=10.07).

A T-test also revealed a relationship between amount of experience
using job skills and total resources accessed. Women with low amounts of
experience were less likely to access resources (10.34), than were women
with high amounts of experience using job skills (16.80). The T-value was
2.22 (P<.05).

E'l Hill I. I! 'II

The following assailant relationship variables were examined : length
of relationship; length of abuse in relationship; number of separations; type
of relationship (married or unmarried); and living arrangement (cohabitating
or not). The two categorical assailant variables, type of relationship and
living arrangement, had a low to moderate correlation of .25. Therefore, it
was decided to keep these variables separate in analyses involving
assailant variables.

A Pearson Correlation was used to examine the relationships
between resources accessed and the following assailant variables: length of
relationship; length of abuse; and number of separations. No significant
correlations were found between length of abuse and resources accessed,

7 3
nor between number of separations and resources accessed. Length of
relationship, however, did exhibit a moderate, negative correlation with the
resources accessed. The correlation was -.32 (P<.03). This indicates that
the longer the relationship, the less the resources; or the shorter the
relationship, the more the resources.

T-tests were utilized to examine relationships between resources
accessed and type of relationship and between resources accessed and
living arrangement with assailant. The T-tests performed both produced
significant results with total resources accessed, as shown in Table 16.
Type of relationship and resources accessed yielded a T-value of 3.10
(P<.01). Here, the unmarried women were more likely to access resources
(mean=13.8) than married women (mean=8.5). Similiarly, women not
living with their assailants were more likely to access resources
(mean=13.4) than were women living with the assailant (mean=9.5). The
T-value here was 2.02 (P=.05).

In terms of personal resources and assailant variables, twenty-five
pairs of variables were examined. since there were five personal resource
variables and five assailant variables. Pearson correlations were performed
to determine any relationships between the following assailant relationship
variables: length of relationship; length of abuse; and number of
separations, and the following personal resource variables: work history
scale; education; and amount of job skills. No significant correlations were
found in these analyses.

T-tests were utilized to examine relationships between assailant
variables: length of relationship; duration of abuse; and number of
separations with the personal resource variables current employment, and
amount of experience using job skills. No significant results were produced
by these analyses.

T-tests were used to determine relationships between the following
assailant variables: type of relationship with assailant (married or not); and

7 4
with living arrangement with assailant (cohabitating or not), and the
following personal resource variables: work history scale; education; and
amount of job skills. None of these produced significant results.

A Crosstabulation program was utilized to study the assailant
variables of type of relationship with assailant and living arrangement, with
the following personal variables: amount of experience using job skills in the
past two years, and current employment. No significant results were
produced by these analyses.

B I. .

Another research question concerned the relationships between
women's financial resources and religious affiliation. The religious
affiliations of this group were so diverse, that the values were dichotomized
into specifying or not specifying a religion, for T-test analyses. A T-test found
no relationship between religion and total resources accessed.

In terms of personal resource variables and religion, T-tests yielded
no significant relationship between religion and the work history scale; nor
between religion and amount of job skills; nor between religion and
education level.

Crosstabulation analyses yielded no significant results in the
analyses of relationships between religion and current employment, and
between religion and amount of experience using job skills in the last two
years.

Table 9

II I iii! E . E' 'IB

I E'l lE'llll

 

Financial Resource Area

 

Response N %
Childcare

Sought Help 27 57.4
Received Direct Help 27 57.4
Received Indirect Help 5 10.6
Iraneccrtaticn

Sought Help 27 57.4
Received Direct Help 25 53.1
Received Indirect Help 2 4.2
Sought Help 24 51.0
Received Direct Help 19 40.4
Received Indirect Help 12 25.5
Eecd

Sought Help 12 25.5
Received Direct Help 11 23.4
Received Indirect Help 3 6.3
Cleihind

Sought Help 8 17.0
Received Direct Help 8 17.0
Received Indirect Help 0 0.0
CrheLArea

Sought Help 7 14.8
Received Direct Help 4 8.5
Received Indirect Help 1 2.1

7 6
Table 9 (cont'd)

Eindincjmclcxmem (a)
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

cheehclthems
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

Ledal

Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

Sought Help
Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

!!|'l'|' III I
Sought Help

Received Direct Help
Received Indirect Help

Medical

Sought Help

Received Direct I-Ielp
Received Indirect Help

BemNA

a P<.05

«FOO

NNQ d éNh

CNN

12.7
0.0
8.5

12.7
12.7
4.2

8.5
4.2
2.1

6.3
2.1
0.0

6.3
4.2
4.2

4.2
4.2
0.0

77
Table 10

S'fiB E'IIIE'I IE'I

 

Financial Resource Area

 

Type of Resource

Response N
Childcare
Cirectfieecuree
Babysat for a Short Time 22
Babysat Overnight or Longer 5
IndirecLBescurce
Referral to Specific Agency 2
Brainstormed 3
Iranecerlaticn
DirecLBescurce
Gave Rides/ Loaned Car 24
Sold her Car, Low Price 1
IndirecLBescuree
Brainstormed 2
IemcerahLShelIer
Directfleecuree
Provided Shelter, no Cost 17
Provided Shelter, for Pay 2
indirecLBescurce

Referred to Cada, or Phone Book
or Suggesting Seeking Agency
Brainstormed

Referral to Agency, other than Cada
Advocated, gathered info

ANODO)

78
Table 10 (cont'd.)

E0051

Provided Cash
Provided Groceries/Meals

W
Referral to Specific Agency,
Other Than Cada

Clethind
DirecLBeeeurce
Gave Clothes
Loaned Clothes

indirecifieecurce
CtheLArea

Loaned Money
Paid Bill

indirecLBeeeurce
Brainstormed

E' I. E I I
Cirectflescurce
IndirecLBescurce
Suggested Places to Apply
Referral to Specific Agency

cheehcicthems
Cireflfleeclrrce

Gave Household Items
Sold Items, Low Price

10mm

Brainstormed

NA

7 9
Table 10 (cont'd)

Legal

Q'ILQCLBCSCILLQC

Helped Obtain Restraining Order
Provided Legal Services

IndirecLBescurce
Brainstormed

l I . D 'I
Cirectfleeeuree
Provided Cash

1W
III'IT III I

CirecLBescurce
Provided Cash

imiirecLBeecuree
Advocated, gathered info
Suggested Seeking Agencies

Mmical

Provided Cash
IndirecLBescurce
Bent

NA

NA
NA

80
Table 11

BatindecLHelefuineaeLBeseureeeAcceesed

[E'I IE'IIII

 

Financial Resource Area

 

Type of Resource M N SD
Childcare

Direct Resource 4.7 27 .65
Indirect Resource 4.2 5 1.78
Direct Resource 4.7 25 .52
Indirect Resource 5.0 2 .00
IemcerahLSDelter

Direct Resource 4.5 19 1.02
Indirect Resource 4.5 12 1.16
Eeed

Direct Resource 4.7 11 .46
Indirect Resource 4.0 3 1.00
Clcthihd

Direct Resource 4.6 8 74
Indirect Resource NA - -
CtheLArea

Direct Resource 5.0 4 .00
Indirect Resource 3.0 1 .00
Direct Resource NA - ~-
Indirect Resource 3.7 4 .5
ticueeththems

Direct Resource 4.5 4 1.0
Indirect Resource 5.0 2 .00

Table 11 (cont'd.)
Legal

Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

ll . D '|
Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

lll'l'l' III I

Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

Medical
Direct Resource
Indirect Resource

Bent

1: Not At All Helpful
2= Not Very Helpful
3= Somewhat Helpful

4= Helpful
5= Very Helpful

81

5.0
5.0

5.0
NA

5.0
5.0

5.0
NA

NA

.00
.00

.00

.00
.00

.00

82
Table 12

. .
WEI 'IICI SII'

 

Financial Resource Area

Response

 

Legal (40)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Improved treatment of clients/discrimination

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

Other suggestions

Vague/u nclear suggestions

(36)
Procedural changes needed
More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed
Innovative change needed
More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)
Improved treatment of clients/discrimination
Vague/unclear suggestions

Irahseertaticn (35)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

Other suggestions

12

‘0

4'00) 030

13

(cc-m ##

.5

83
Table 12 (cont'd.)

IemceraoLSheltet (33)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

Emelexmem (32)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Improved treatment of clients/discrimination

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

Vague/unclear suggestions

Beat (30)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

Vague/unclear suggestions

Clethind (30)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

17

[001 4N 00° h

(D

8 4
Table 12 (cont'd.)

tlcusehcldjeme (25)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Improved treatment of clients/discrimination

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

Other suggestions

Childmre (25)

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

Other suggestions (for childcare, all refer to
trust of service provider

Vague/u nclear suggestions

Medea! (22)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
/more help in general needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Improved treatment of clients/discrimination

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

AM

NO 4a N0)

N-hNO)

8 5
Table 12 (cont'd.)

fined (21)

Procedural changes needed

More resources/more accessible resources
lmore help in general needed

Innovative change needed

More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

!!|'l'|' ll I (17)
Procedural changes needed
More resources/more accessible resources
lmore help in general needed
Innovative change needed
More money needed (includes agency funding, funding to
clients, and affordability of resources)

Cther (1)
Information needed (includes advertising availability,
referrals, and advocacy)

rocooo

86

Table13
B IIIISI'IIII C I! .

 

Financial Resource Area

Response N %

 

W
Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek

6 23.0
Didn‘t Know of Resource 6 23.0
No Need 5 19.0
Has/had Resources 5 19.0
Assailant Interference/Threats/Fear 2 8.0
Other 2 8.0
II . D 'I
Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek 8 36.0
No Need 6 27.0
Didn't Know of Resource 4 18.0
Has/had Resources 3 14.0
Knew That Agencies Couldn't/Wouldn't Help 1 5.0
Legal
No Need 13 50.0
Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek 8 31.0
Assailant lnterferencefl'hreats/Fear 3 12.0
Reluctant to ask 1 4.0
Other 1 4.0
litiImeeitleat
Has/had Resources 22 55.0
No Need 14 35.0
Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek 2 5.0
Didn't Know of Resource 1 3.0

Reluctant to Ask for Help 1 3.0

8 7
Table 13 (cont'd.)

Bent
Has/had Resources

Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek
No Need
Reluctant to Ask for Help

Eeed
Has/had Resources

No Need
Knew Agencies Couldn't/Wouldn‘t Help

Has/had Resources

Didn't Know of Resource

Other

No Need

Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek

Clcthee
No Need

Has/had Resources

Obstacles in Other Areas

Knew Agencies Couldn't/Wouldn't Help
Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek

ticusehclthems

Has/had Resources

No Need

Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek
Didn't Know of Resources

Childcare

No need

Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek
Has/had Resources

Concern About Quality! Trustworthiness
Assailant lnterference/‘l'hreats/Fear

NO’O" ANQO'I" 400h0

d-‘NNN

73.0
15.0
9.0
3.0

68.0
27.0
5.0

65.0
13.0
10.0
10.0

3.0

50.0
23.0
14.0
9.0
5.0

55.0
24.0
16.0

5.0

79.0
7.0
7.0
4.0
4.0

8 8
Table 13 (cont'd.)

Medical

Has/had Resources

No Need

Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek

Has/had Resources

Not Looking Due to: Pregnant; Poor Health;
Disabled; Mentally Unstable; Student

Not Looking (unspecified)

Obstacles in Other Areas

No Need

Assailant Interference/Threats/Fear

Other

A

AN-hO'IUICD (D

85.0
12.0
3.0

28.0

19.0
16.0
16.0
13.0
6.0
3.0

89
Table 14

B IIIISI'IIII E'l IE 'I

 

Financial Resource Area

Response N %

 

Family and Friends (F&F) are Not a Resource 9 39.0
Assailant Interference/1' hreats/Fear 6 26.0
Reluctant to Ask for Help 3 13.0
Only Recently Needed Help 2 9.0
Has/had Resources 2 9.0
No Need 1 4.0
lzlcusinoflecesit

F&F are Not a Resource 13 31.0
No Need 11 26.0
Reluctant to Ask for Help 9 21.0
Only Recently Needed Help 6 14.0
Has/had Resources 3 7.0
Utilitiesilzleat

Has/had Resources 16 36.0
No Need 12 27.0
F & F are Not a Resource 9 20.0
Reluctant to Ask for Help 4 9.0
Only Recently Needed Help 3 7.0
Eced

Has/had Resource 12 34.0
No Need 9 26.0
Reluctant to Ask for Help 6 17.0
F & F are Not a Resource 5 14.0
Only Recently Needed Help 2 6.0
Assailant Interference/Threats/Fear 1 3.0
Has/had Resource 12 63.0
No Need 3 16.0
F 8 F are Not a Resource 2 11.0
Reluctant to Ask for Help 2 11.0

9 0
Table 14 (cont'd.)

Izlcueeheltheme

Has/had Resources

No Need

F&F are Not a Resource

Reluctant to Ask for Help

Only Recently Needed Help/Plans to Seek

Cleihind

No Need

Has/had Resources
Reluctant to Ask for Help
F&F are Not a Resource
Only Recently Needed Help
Other

Berri
Has/had Resources

No Need

Reluctant to Ask for Help
F&F are Not a Resource
Only Recently Needed Help

EEl
No Need

Only Recently Needed Help/Plan to Seek
Reluctant to Ask for Help

F&F are Not a Resource

Other

Obstacles in Other Areas

Childcare

No Need

Watches Kids Herself
F&F are Not a Resource
Reluctant to Ask for Help
Has/had Resources

Medical

Has/had Resources

No Need

F & F are Not a Resource
Reluctant to Ask for Help

18
14

14
11

aamu

24
10

19

u—L
dN-hflo

AAN‘h-h

27
11
4
3

44.0
34.0
1 5.0
5.0
2.0

36.0
28.0
18.0
13.0
3.0
3.0

51.0
21.0
15.0
11.0

2.0

44.0
23.0
16.0
9.0
5.0
2.0

33.0
33.0
17.0
8.0
8.0

60.0
24.0
9.0
7.0

91

Table 14 (cont'd.)

Has/had Resources 13 32.0
Not Looking (unspecified) 6 15.0
Obstacles in Other Areas 6 15.0
Reluctant to Ask for Help 5 12.0
No Need 3 7.0
Not Looking Due To: Pregnancy; Poor Health;

Mental Instability; Disability; Student 3 7.0
F&F are Not a Resource 3 7.0
Assailant lnterferencefl’hreats/Fear 2 5.0

Table 15

92

E DII'CIII'I

 

Variable Pair

Correlation

Significance

 

Indirect Resources
with
Direct Resources

Community Resources
with
Informal Resources

Amount of Job Skills
with
Resources Accessed

Length of Relationship
with
Resources Accessed

.48

.29

.37

-.32

47

47

47

47

.001

.048

.010

.027

93

 

 

Table 16
LiesLBeeulte
Variable
Group Mean SD
T-value df P
Resources Accessed
Employed 41 16.50 7.5
2.41 45 .020
Unemployed 6 10.07 5.9
Resources Accessed
High Job Skill
Experience 5 16.80 7.2
2.22 44 .032
Low Job Skill
Experience 41 10.34 6.0
Resources Accessed
Unmarried 21 13.85 7.0
3.10 45 .003
Married 26 8.50 4.7
Resources Accessed
Not Cohabitating 16 13.43 7.6
2.02 45 .050
Cohabitating 31 9.85 5.3

94

 

 

Table 17
WW

Direct Indirect Totals
Community 207 82 289
Friends and Family 183 40 223

Totals 390 122 51 2

DISCUSSION

W

This study examined the financial needs and resources of women
residing at a shelter for battered women, and obtained helpfulness ratings of the
resources that they accessed. Frequencies of types and sources of resources
accesssed were tabulated and comparsions with personal resources, and
assailant relationship variables were made. The following sections review the
highlights of the results, compares how these relate to previous literature where
applicable, and discuss the implications for future research and service
provision.

0 . I. E I
D I . 0| I . I.

The demographic characteristics of the sample correspond to other
literature reporting on domestic violence shelter populations. Rm (1985)
reported on a sample in which the median age was 29; over half (54%) the
sample was white; over half (56%) were married; and 4 years was the median
length of relationship. The Citizens Advisory Task Force (1978) reported that
50% of abusive relationships were not marital, but conjugal. These numbers
correspond very closely with the present research. These characteristics of the
relationship will be talked about further, in the section on correlations between
variables.

The length of abuse in the relationship was less than the duration of the
relationship for many women in the sample. The difference between these
means was more than a year. One question in this section concerned different

95

9 6

types of abuse. Ninety-six percent of the interviewees reported emotional
abuse in the relationship. At the lower end, 40% of the women reported sexual
abuse. (This is an underestimate, according to the interviewers who talked
informally with the women after the interviews were completed). The definitions
of abuse was determined by the interviewee. These findings support claims by
Walker (1978) and Germain (1984) which indicated that abuse is more than
physical battery alone.

In the present sample, 85% of the women were unemployed, and only
17% had some college. In Finn's (1985) sample, only 52% were unemployed
and 36% had some college. It may be that his data was collected with women
in a slightly higher socioeconomic level, or a more affluent setting than the
present research.

Areaaeereatestflhahciatheed

One of the research questions posed in the study was what areas of
financial need are the greatest for battered women who are residing at a
temporary shelter. According to both ranking and ratings that the subjects
produced, Rent, Housing Deposit, Utilities, and Food are among the most
important areas in which to obtain financial assistance. This is consistent with
the number of women who perceive themselves as having resources, wherein
only 28% to 38% perceive themselves as having resources in these areas.
These rankings of needs also make sense in terms of being able to separate
from the batterer. Most women in the shelter are seeking permanent housing;
rent, deposit, utilities, and food are the very basics allowing one to create an
independent living situation. These findings make sense in light of previous
research results claiming that "financial needs” (vaguely defined) are important
in the woman's ability to separate from the batterer (Dobash & Dobash, 1979;
Roy, 1977; Strube & Barbour, 1984). Given the previous findings and the fact
that the present study found resources associated with housing to be the most
important to women residing at a temporary shelter, perhaps the most important
resources allowing a woman to separate from the batterer are those associated

9 7
with housing.

Notice that according to the scale ratings, all of the financial resources
are fairly important. This is still consistent with other information provided by the
women. All these financial areas hold some degree of importance for these
mostly low-income women; some needs are more immediate than others.
Notice, for example that childcare and transportation are both ranked and rated
fairly high as need areas, following those associated with housing. It is very
possible that the women would rank other resources higher once they had their
immediate need for safe housing assured.

B E I I 0 'I E .

Another research question asked in the study was what resources were
accessed from community agencies. There was at least one Instance of
receiving information and referrals in every financial area, but there were many
instances of this help in Temporary shelter, Legal, and Employment areas.

The most common direct resources included: providing temporary
shelter; approval of Emergency Needs Program application by DSS; providing
low-cost and free clothing; providing free food; and providing bus fares or giving
rides. The agencies providing most of these resources are: shelters; DSS;
lngham County Food Banks; and second hand stores. These agencies only
partially address the areas of greatest need discussed previously. Comparing
these results with the areas of greatest need, one can see that most women
seeking help for Food or Utilities areas received it; but fewer women received
the help they sought in Rent and Housing Deposit areas.

Most of the sample reported that the resources they accessed were
generally helpful, with the exception of indirect help in Legal and Childcare
areas. The purpose of information or referrals is to lead one to direct services to
fulfill unmet needs; these exceptions may indicate that the information is leading
nowhere, that there are not enough affordable, accessible, direct services
available in Childcare and Legal areas. The overall positive response differs
greatly from Gelles (1976) report that 75% of his sample indicated

9 8
dissatisfaction with resources accessed. One reason for this may be the
differences in resources in the communities from which the samples were
drawn. Another reason for these differences may be the large gap in time. The
women in the present study reported on resources accessed early in 1988;
communities are more aware of and responsive to domestic violence now than
they were a decade ago.
B E I I E . I I E '|

One research question concerned the resources accessed from friends
and family members. The women in the sample frequently sought and received
help (over 50%) from friends and family members in the areas of Childcare and
Transportation. Notice these were areas which ranked high as needs following
the areas associated with housing. One cannot count on these informal
sources to provide Such services, however; approximately half of the women did
not receive such help. Despite these two financial areas, the women generally
sought help less frequently from friends and family than they did from
community agencies. The subjects were more likely to receive the help sought
from these informal sources, however, than they were from the community. It is
likely that the women are quite astute about who are appropriate informal
sources to seek help from; they generally received the help sought, but also
indicated that some people were unwilling or unable to help them, and so did
not attempt to seek their assistance. Aside from providing rides and childcare,
most of the direct help from informal sources involved giving or loaning money,
and providing temporary shelter.

Women received only half as much indirect help from these informal
sources, as they did from the community (see Table 17). The indirect help
gained from these sources varied. Unlike the community agencies, most of the
indirect help was not referrals to a specific agency; about half were
brainstorming options, gathering information, or a general suggestion to seek
help in the community. This may indicate that the informal sources are not
well-informed of specific services available. As indicated earlier, the subjects

9 9
indicated that the resources received from friends and family were mostly
helpful.

BeaeenaieLNetfieelsindflescurces

A fifth research question addressed the suggestions women had for
improving community agencies. The sheer number of suggestions would
indicate that there Is much that agendas could improve upon. The women most
frequently focused on the need for procedural or policy changes in community
agencies, the need for more (accessible) resources, and the need for monetary
changes. Some of the suggestions were not specific strategies as much as
statements that help was needed in these areas. Interestingly, many of the
suggestions were innovative, or non-traditional. These included calls for
bartering or exchanges, for household item clearinghouses, employer-provided
childcare, and renovations of older homes by DSS. Some women commented
about the importance of equity; making sure the needy received help, and that
others did not take advantage of services. This belies some popqu ideas of
service recipients, low-income, or needy peOple as greedy or manipulative
peOple.

Some suggestions included ideas regarding who was responsible for
providing services. Several suggestions were made that DSS and Legal Aid
should not be expected to handle all the demands made of them; that more
agencies were needed to share the caseloads in these areas.

Almost a dozen women commented on the need for reducing
discrimination or disrespectful attitudes of DSS caseworkers, landlords, and
others. These are consistent with findings by Davis and Carlson (1981) that
indicated problematic attitudes of service providers.

There were a few suggestions that more referrals were needed to help
women locate resources in Household Item, Utilities, Temporary Shelter, and
Employment areas. Further, in almost every financial area, the need for
awareness programs or advertisement of available services was reported. Star

1 00
(1982) and Bass and Rice (1979) reported that in addition to gaps in service
provision, service providers' knowledge of other resources was inadequate.
While the women in the present sample did not precisely say that providers
were ignorant of other services, they made it clear that they did not feel fully
informed of available services, and that they expect DSS caseworkers and
shelter staff to provide them with more information.

The Legal area is an important area for change, based on the number of
suggestions and the content of the suggestions. These responses were mostly
focused on the need for policy changes, and for affordable, accessible legal
services for domestic violence cases.

Some of the need areas influenced others» concerns about
transportation were evident in some of the other financial areas, for example.
The need for Transportation was reported in Shelter, Employment, Clothing,
and Household Item areas. Concern about Childcare was mentioned in the
area of Employment.

In summary, the combination of suggestions and helpfulness ratings tend
to indicate that the subjects are satisfied with most of the services that are
available, and that much progress has been made in the past decade in
meeting needs, but that there are still gaps in resources available to this
population, still more work to be done to improve the person-environment fit.

In the Reasons for Not Seeking Help from Community Agencies, women
reported having resources, or having no need for community resources fairIy
often. The reasons outside of these not-surprising responses proved
interesting. Women occasionally mentioned obstacles from one financial area
as impinging on another; Childcare and Transportation were needs relating to
the area of Employment, as they were in the Suggestion area. The Reasons for
Not Seeking Help document the need for advertisement of available services,
as was mentioned in Suggestions; some women did not know of resources to
seek.

An important implication of the responses to this question is that the

1 01
shelter residents are experiencing a great deal of change In their financial
circumstances when they leave the batterer. Many women in the sample
reported that they only recently needed resources; that they had resources
previously; that they plan to seek help; or that the assailant provided
resources.

In the Reasons for Not Seeking Help from Friends and Family, women
reported being reluctant to ask for help much more frequently than they did with
community agencies. Being reluctant to ask for help included not wanting to
burden them; not wanting to be in debt; and being too proud to ask for help.
Women were also much more likely to credit assailant interference as a barrier
to seeking Temporary Shelter from family and friends than for community
sources. This is not surprising, and provides one possible reason as to why the
family is reported as unwilling to help so frequently. These reasons highlight
the importance of having community resources available to meet the needs of
this population.

CcnelatienaLAnalvses
BescurceeAccessed

The positive correlation between direct and indirect resources reported in
the results section tells us that women who tend to receive high amounts of
indirect resources, also tend to get high amounts of direct resources; those who
tend to access low amounts of indirect tend to access low amounts of indirect
resources. While no direction (nor even the existence of a relationship) of the
relationship was hypothesized, these results do not seem surprising.

While no causation can be determined, nor is intended from these
analyses, there are several possibilities that could explain the results. First,
perhaps the women seeking help are initially receiving information which leads
to direct resources. Another possibility is that when women access direct
resources initially, they are also given information as to other sources of help.
Or it may be that that women access a variety of resources, if they access any at
all.

1 02

A moderate positive correlation was found between resources accessed
from community agencies and from informal sources, such as friends and
family. This indicates that those women who receive high amounts of resources
from informal sources also tend to receive high amounts of resources from
community agencies; those who receive low amounts from one source tend to
receive the same from the other. While this relationship between sources was
not as strong as that between types, it was statistically significant. Again, no
causation is implied here. Explanations for this finding may be similar to those
for types of resources. In seeking help, the women may employ a variety of
strategies, types, or sources to access resources. ,

W

A variety of personal resource variables were examined in relationship to
resources accessed (collapsing types and sources). Three relationships were
significant, as described earlier. Education was not among these. The
significant variables all pertained to employment» whether the woman had a
job, the amount of job skills, and the amount of job skills used In the last two
years. The women who had high personal resources in these areas tended to
access more resources than women with lower personal resources.

One possible explanation of these results is that the women with high
personal resources have a wider range of people from which to seek help, for
both information, and direct help, including employers, co-workers, and
acquaintances. It could also be that these women in the work force receive
more exposure to community information, and what the community has to offer.
Another possible reason for this finding is that these women may have more
advocacy skills or more assertiveness skills to begin with, and thus tend to
access resources in general, as well as resources that lead to employment
opportunities.

E'l IBII' I. I! 'll

Another research question explored whether a relationship existed

between assailant variables and resources. As discussed in the results section,

1 03
no relationships were found between personal resources and assailant
variables, but several significant relationships were found between resources
accessed and the following assailant variables: length of relationship; type of
relationship; and living arrangement. All these results indicate that the greater
the involvement with the assailant, the less likely a woman is to access
resources; the less the involvement, the greater the amount of resources
accessed. Greater involvement here refers to number of years spent together;
marriage; and cohabitation. In other research pertaining to assailant variables,
Snyder & Scheer (1981) found that length of marriage and number of
separations were good predicator variables of disposition after leaving the
sheher

One possible reason for this present finding is the assailant interference
that the women revealed in the suggestions section; the assailant actively
interferes with the help seeking behavior of the woman. It is documented that
the physical abuse becomes more intense and frequent over time. Perhaps the
assailant increases other types of abuse, such as isolation, as well.

Another possibility is that the more entrenched women become in the
relationship, the more they perceive their situation as inevitable, and are
therefore less likely to seek resources that could help them remove themselves
from the relationship. A further possibility is that these variables which indicate
a deeper involvement with the assailant, also reflect a deeper attachment to the
assailant. These women may not be investigating the option of permanently
leaving at the present time, and would therefore not have a strong reason to
actively seek the resources which would aid in such an endeavor.

B I. .

The remaining research question concerned whether there was a
relationship between religious affiliation and resources. Here, affiliation refers
to whether the subject stated she had a religion or not. There were no
significant findings between religion and resources accessed, nor between
religion and personal resources, as discussed in the results section. This would

1 04
still be a useful variable to examine in future research, because of it's
significance in Snyder & Scheer's (1981) work.
[III II . II' 'II'

The main methodological limitation of the present research was the small
sample size. The results of this study must be viewed with caution. given the
size of the sample.

Another potential limitation of the research is the ability to generalize
these findings. It is possible that the results are influenced by the degree of
community responsiveness to battered women (or any population), or that
Lansing is not typical in its' responsiveness.

One of the strengths of this research, the fact that the information is
self-reported, is at the same time, a possible limitation. One should be cautious
in interpreting any self-report data. One possible remedy for this in future
research is to determine the reliability of such data by comparison to other
sources, such as DSS or shelter files.

I I. I. I E I B I

Clearly, more research is needed in addition to previous research and
the exploratory research presented here. Samples from other cities are
needed, to determine the generalizability of any findings. More Needs
Assessment studies must be undertaken to further document battered womens'
financial needs, both as they leave a shelter, and once they have settled into
new housing.

More studies examining the resources battered women access, and the
relationships these have with personal resources, assailant variables, and other
characteristics of the sample are needed. Research also needs to be done to
further ascertain the impact of these resources upon the womens' ability to
separate from the batterer.

Further research needs to be done to ascertain the helpfulness of
resources accessed, as well as perceived helpfulness of newly proposed
services intended to fulfill unmet needs. Another arena that needs to be

1 05
thoroughly examined is interactions between this population and service
providers, more specifically, DSS caseworkers. These interactions may have a
tremendous impact upon womens' willingness to seek out these resources, as
well as the receipt of benefits.

Another area that needs to be thoroughly addressed is the impact of
advocacy efforts, which attempt to maximize the person- environment fit.
Individual level, administrative level, and policy level advocacy efforts must all
be examined to determine their effectiveness in creating positive change in
battered womens' lives.

BeccmmendatiencchSehrices

The recommendations presented here are based on the Environmental
Resources model, which was discussed in-depth previously. This model
perceives powerless groups in society not as deviant, but as people with unmet
needs. The method for dealing with these unmet needs is to increase the
person-environment fit; working to make the community more responsive, and
helping the powerless to access these resources, to have input into what
services are made available. Advocacy efforts are seen as the tool through
which these changes can be made.

The shelters for battered women have long been using advocacy
techniques to create change; they have enjoyed some success In this
endeavor. However, as outlined previously, the monies and person-power in
these shelters are limited. The potential for change through the use of this
advocacy model is enormous. Again, there is a need for more research to
document the ability of these efforts. Additionally, there is a need for more
people to work as advocates in this area.

This advocacy model is limited by structural conditions in society.
Structural changes are needed, including low-cost housing, employment
opportunities, and legal assistance. Without these stmctural changes
accompanying more individual level advocacy work, the individual work will be
quite limited; these efforts will help some women, but may not impact the larger

1 06
population of battered women.

The first service need indicated by the research results is the need for
low-cost housing. Second, is the need for assistance with housing deposits.
DSS provides housing deposits in their Emergency Needs Program, but the
need is greaterthan this service can presently fill. Third, is the need for
individual level advocacy efforts that shelters presently provide. Unfortunately,
the shelters are short on person-power; there are not enough well-informed
advocates to work individually with all the women that come into a shelter.
Advocates such as these could help women search for affordable housing, for
example.

Another service that is needed is ”second stage" housing and assistance.
This is where women can receive help with other financial needs, once they are
settled into a safe home. This would be a place where women could begin to
seek resources more intensively for childcare, transportation, and job training.

Further, there is the need for more policy and administrative level
advocacy efforts, to bring about more durable and widespread change,
impacting on the larger population of battered women. An example of this would
be to change legal procedures and practices. Legal service is a crucial area;
change here could have an enormous impact on a battered woman's situation.
The women in this sample, as well as literature cited previously clearly indicate
that there is not enough accessible, affordable legal assistance available.

APPENDIX A

Appendix A

INTERVIEW
*Fill out index card—
Date
I.D. #
Interviewer
Time Begin
TURN ON TAPE RECORDER

LABEASCEEINANCIALNEEC

Your may have made some plans or have some ideas about changes
you would like to make in your life. Very often, money or low-cost services
are needed to help you make the changes you've planned. What I would
like to ask you about first is what resources you have for certain financial
areas, and what areas you would like financial help with. EinancIaLhelc can
mean a lot of things. It can mean getting cash, getting free services, getting
a loan, getting things for a very low price, and so on. I have a list here
broken down into different areas of financial need. These areas include
things like childcare, transportation and food. Here is a list of the financial
areas and their definitions (HAND OVER AREA LIST). Resources are cash,
benefits, grants or services to fill financial needs. For example, if you receive
medicaid, or have medical benefits or insurance through a job, or you have
the cash to pay for medical services, then you have resources to fill your
medical need area. If you have foodstamps or cash to buy groceries, these

107

1 08
Appendix A

are resources for the financial area of food. If you have a relative who
babysits for you, or you have the cash to pay for daycare, then you have
childcare resources. Do you have any questions about resources?
(CLARIFY AS NEEDED) Feel free to ask if you think of questions. For each
area, after we talk about your resources, I'll ask how important it is for you to
get some kind of financial help or support for that area. I also have a list of
possible answers W of getting financial help for you to
choose from. I will read off each area and the possible amounts of
importance. I would like you to tell me the amount of importance for each
area. Here is a copy if you would like to read along. (HAND OVER RATING
SHEET)
1) Do you have resources for transportation right now?

1)no

2)yes, have a car

3)yes, ride the bus

4)other
1a) In the area of transportation, how important is it for you to get financial
help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;

2) unimportant?;

3) somewhat unimportant?;

4) somewhat important?;

5) important?; or

6) very important?
2) Do you have money or other resources for a housing deposit right now?

1)no

2)yes
2a) In the area of a housing deposit, how important is it for you to get
financial help?

1 09
Appendix A

Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;
3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?
3)Do you have money or other resources for rent payments right now?
1)no
2)yes
3a) In the area of making house or rent payments, how important is it for you
to get financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;
3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?
4)Do you have money or other resources to pay utilities or heating bills right
now?
1)no
2)yes
4a) In the area of paying utilities or heating bills, how important is it for you
to get financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?; '
3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?

110

Appendix A
5)Do you have money or other resources for food right now?
1)no
2)yes

5a) In the area of food, how important is it for you to get financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;
3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?
6) Do you have money or other resources for childcare right now?
1)no
2)yes
9) not applicable
6a) In the area of childcare, how important is it for you to get financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;
3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?
9) not applicable
7) Do you have money or other resources for legal services right now?
1)no
2)yes
7a) In the area of legal fees or services, how important is it for you to get
financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;

1 1 1
Appendix A

3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?
8) Do you have money or other resources for medical services right now?
1)no
2)yes
8a) In the area of medical bills or services, how important is it for you to get
financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;
3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?
9) Do you have money or other resources for clothing right now?
1)no
2)yes
9a) In the area of clothing , how important Is it for you to get financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;
3) somewhat unimportant?;
4) somewhat important?;
5) important?; or
6) very important?
10) Do you have money or other resources for household items right now?
1)no
2)yes
10a) In the area of household items, how important is it for you to get

112

Appendix A
financial help?
Is it: 1) very unimportant?;
2) unimportant?;

3) somewhat unimportant?;

4) somewhat important?;

5) important?; or

6) very important?
11) Is there m where you might need financial help, that I haven't
mentioned?

1) no (GO TO NEXT SECTION)

2) yes (GO TO #12)

12) what is this area?

 

13) do you have resources for this area?

1)no

2)yes

14) how important is it for you to get

financial help in this area: Is it:

1) very unimportant?;

2) unimportant?;

3)somewhatunimportant?;

4) somewhat important?;

5) important?; or

6) very important?
Okay, thank you. Next, I would like to ask you again about these financial
areas. But this time I would like you to rank these areas, by choosing the 1st,
2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on most important areas. I know this might be hard, but
doyourbest. i=n=no= I: = =_ = I: -_ =4 “"1 nun—t o o o o:
W. Put down a one next to the area most important for you to

1 13
Appendix A

get financial help with, then put a two next to the 2nd most important area,
then put a three next to the 3rd most important area, and so on until you
have filled in a number formfinancial area listed. ( HAND OVER THE
RATING SHEET, SIT OUIETLY UNTIL THEY ARE FINISHED, THEN

COLLECT THE SHEET).
15) 1) transportation
2) housing deposit

3) house or rent payment
4) utilities or heat
5) food
6) childcare
7) legal fees
8) medical bills
9) clothing
10) household items

11) other (specify I

Okay, thank you.
LBW
Next, I'd like to ask you about the kinds of financial help or support you may
have gotten recently from community agencies. Later we'll talk about help
from friends and family, but first let's talk about community agencies. When I
say mmmunjmagencies, it basically means local community agencies,
organizations, churches, or government offices. So, for example. this
shelter, the Department of Social Services, Legal Aid, and the Salvation
Army would be considered community agencies. There are lots of other
agencies that I didn't mention by name, too.

I would like to ask you about a couple of different ways you might be
helped. One way is direct help, and the other way is indirect help from

1 14
Appendix A

community agencies. What I mean by direcmele from community agencies
is money, goods, or services that are free or at reduced prices. So, for
example, this includes money in the form of medicaid payments, or personal
needs money from D.S.S., for example. It also includes free or low-cost
goods, like food from the Food Bank, or vouchers for stores. Direct help also
includes free or low-cost services, for example, counseling or child care.

Indireetjeleis any information, referrals, or advocacy efforts an
agency might provide. So, this would mean telling you where else to get
help, contacting other agencies for you, helping you get information, and
asking other agencies to help you. Here are cards with these definitions, in
case you want to use them, (HAND OVER DIRECT/INDIRECT DEFINITIONS)
but feel free to ask questions, if you are unclear about what to include in
these categories. I will be asking you if you sought help, what were the
results, and how helpful it was in meeting your needs. I will also ask you
what suggestions you have for changes in community services and
resources. The first question I will ask in this section is about whether you
sought help from community agencies. Remember that both direct and
indirect help are considered help. So answer yes if you sought any kind of
help, and then we'll get the details of what happened. There is also a
question about whether the agency helped you. If they offered something
and it wasn't helpful, or you refused their services, tell me about that too. Do
you have any questions right now? (CLARIFY, IF NEEDED). Okay.
(1) (A) Have you sought help from any community agencies for temperam
shelter other than CADA, in the last 3 months?

1) no (GO TO E,ASK HELPFULNESS OF CADA
EDITORIAL NOTE: FOR ALL OTHER AREAS, IF THE ANSWER WAS "NO",
THEN "K" WAS THE NEXT QUESTION ASKED)

2) yes ( GO TO #B)

(B) What agencies did you go to? LIST ALL, THEN

ASK ABOUT THE F IRST__(1 )CADA

1 15
Appendix A

 

 

(C) CADA helped directly
(D) CADA provided shelter

(E) How helpful was CADA to you? Was
it: 1) not at all helpful?;

2) not very helpful?; GO TO (F)
3) somewhat helpful?;

4)helpful?;or GO TO (G)
5)very helpful?

(F) Why was that? What would have made
it more helpful?

 

 

 

(G) Did they help you indirectly with other temporary

shelter?

1) no (GO TO SECOND AGENCY (BB)
(IF NO OTHER AGENCY, GO TO #K)
2) yes (GO TO # H)

(H) What did they do specifically?

 

 

 

(I) How helpful was this to you? Was

it: 1) not at all helpful?;

2) not very helpful?; GO TO (J)
3) somewhat helpful?;

1 16
Appendix A

4) helpful?; or GO TO (BB)

5) very helpful? IF NO BB, then K
(J) Why was that? What would have made
it more helpful?

 

 

(BB) (LIST secouo AGENCY, PROCEED)

 

(CC) Did (name the SECOND AGENCY listed) help
you directly with temporary shelter?

1) no (GO TO#GG)

2) yes (GO TO # DD)

(DD) What did they do specifically?—

 

 

 

(EE) How helpful was this to you? Was
it: 1) not at all helpful?;

2) not very helpful?; GO TO (FF)
3) somewhat helpful?;

4)helpful?;or

5)very helpful? GO TO (GG)

(FF) Why was that? What would have made
it more helpful?

 

 

 

(GG) Did they help you indirectly with temporary
shelter?

1 17
Appendix A

1) no (GO TO THIRD AGENCY (BBB)
(IF NO OTHER AGENCY, GO TO #K,)
2) yes (GO TO # HH)

(HH) What did they do specifically?

 

 

 

(ll) How helpful was this to you? Was

it: 1) not at all helpful?;

2) not very helpful?; GO TO (JJ)

3) somewhat helpful?;

4) helpful?; or GO TO (BBB) THIRD
5) very helpful? IF NO (BBB), THEN (K)
(JJ) Why was that? What would have made
it more helpful?

 

 

(BBB) (LIST THIRD AGENCY, PROCEED)

 

(CCC) Did they (name the THIRD AGENCY listed) help
you directly with temporary shelter?

1) no (GO TO ff GGG)
2) yes (GO TO # DDD)
(DDD) What did they do specifically?—

 

 

 

(EEE) How helpful was this to you? Was

it: 1) not at all helpful?;

118

Appendix A
2) not very helpful?; GO TO (FFF)
3) somewhat helpful?;
4)helpful?;or
5)very helpful? GO TO (GGG)

(FFF) Why was that? What would have
made it more helpful?

 

 

 

(GGG) Did they help you indirectly with temporary
shelter? ‘

1) no (GO TO #K)

2) yes (GO TO # HHH)
(HHH) What did they do specifically?

 

 

 

(III) How helpful was this to you? Was
it: 1) not at all helpful?;

2) not very helpful?; GO TO (JJJ)

3) somewhat helpful?;

4) helpful?; or GO TO (K)

5) very helpful?

(JJJ) Why was that? What would have
made it more helpful?

 

 

1 19
Appendix A

(K) What suggestions do you have for what community agencies might do
differently in terms of W?

 

 

 

EDITORIAL NOTE: ALL THESE QUESTIONS ( A THROUGH K)
ASKED ABOUT TEMPORARY SHELTER, WERE ALSO ASKED
FOR ALL THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

I . I .I

utilitieecrheatirie bills

iced

ether
IWAL
Next, I'd like to ask you about any help you may have gotten from friends or
family members. Again I am interested in whether the financial help was
direct or indirect. The questions are very much like the ones you answered
about the community agencies. Do you have any questions? (CLARIFY, IF
NEEDED). Okay.
(1) (A) Have you sought help from any friends or family members for
temmmheueing in the last 3 months?

1) no (GO TO #2)

2) yes (GO TO B)

1 20
Appendix A

(B) who did you go to for help?(LlST ALL)

 

(C) did they help you directly with temporary housing?
1) no (GO TO G)
2) yes (GO TO D)

(D) what did they do specifically?

 

 

(E) how helpful was this to you? Was

it: 1) not at all helpful?;

2) not very helpful?; GO TO F

3) somewhat helpful?;

4) helpful?; or

5) very helpful? GO TO G

F) why was that? what would have made it
more helpful?

 

 

(G) did they help you indirectly with temporary shelter?
1) no (GO TO #2)
2) yes (GO TO H)
(H) what did they do specifically?—

 

 

(I) how helpful was this to you? Was
it: 1) not at all helpful?;

2) not very helpful? GO TO J

3) somewhat helpful?;

4) helpful?; or

1 21
Appendix A

5) very helpful? GO TO #2
(J) why was that? what would have made
it more helpful?

 

 

EDITORIAL NOTE: THESE EXACT QUESTIONS ASKED OF
TEMPORARY SHELTER ASSISTANCE FROM FAMILY AND
FRIENDS WERE ALSO ASKED FOR ALL THE FOLLOWING
AREAS:
I . I .I

m. I I

Now, this is the last section of the interview. We are almost done. I'd like to
ask you some general questions about yourself and your background.
1) how old are you?
2) what race do you consider yourself to be?
1)black
2)white
3)asian

1 22
Appendix A

4)hispanic
5)native american
6)other
3)are you going to school right now?
1)no (GO TO #5)
2) yes (GO TO #4)
4) are you going full or part-time?
1)pan
2) full
5) what is the last year of school that you completed?
1)Iess than 8th gade
2)some high school
3)high school or GED completed
4)some college
5)college degree
6) what sources of income do you have? Do you receive (ASK EACH,
1=NO; 2=YES):
a)general assistance from d.s.s.?;_
b)a.d.c. from d.s.s.?:
c)supplemental rent payments?;
d)medicaid?:
e)foodstamps?;
f)job eamings?'
g)child support?:

 

h)social security?;
i)unemployment insurance?;
j)veterans benefits?:
k)income from any other sources not mentioned?; or

(specify)

 

1 23
Appendix A

i)no source of income?
6A) Do you have an application pending for (ASK EACH, 1=NO; 2=YES):
a)general assistance from d.s.s.?;__
b)a.d.c. from d.s.s.?;
c)supplemental rent payments?;
d)medicaid7L
e)foodstamps?;
f)a job?;
g)child support?:
h)social security?;
i)unemployment insurance?;
j)veterans benefits?;
IF THEY HAVE JOB EARNINGS, GO TO #7
IF THEY DO NOT HAVE JOB EARNINGS, GO TO #10
7)how many hours do you work each week, on the average?
1)up to 10 hours/week
2)up to 20 hours lweek
3)up to 30 hours lweek
4)up to 40 hours lweek
5)more than 40 hours lweek
8)what is your occupation?
1)clerical
2)food service
3)medical
4)ohildcare
5)residential/ commercial maintenance
6)self-employed
7)teacher
8) other

1 24
Appendix A

9)how much money do you earn from this in a
month? 3
10) how much money do you personally receive altogether, each month?
amt foodstamps
amt personal needs
amt rent payment
TOTAL AMT. $
11) Are you looking for a job, right now?
1)no
2)yes
12) Do you have any job skills?
1)no
2)yes (FOR EACH SKILL 1=no; 2=yes)
1)clerical
2)food service
3)medical
4)ohildcare
5)residential or commercial maintenance
6)teacher
7) other(specify)
13) Have you been employed at any time during the last two years?
1)no (GO TO 16)
2) yes (GO TO 14)
14)Was this full or part time?
1)part
2)full
15) Was this at least 4 months out of the
last two years?
1)no

1 25
Appendix A

2)yes
15a)What kind of work was this?
1)clerical
2)food service
3)medical
4)childcare
5)residential or commercial maintenance
6)teacher
7) other(specify)
16)do you have any children?
1) no (GO TO #18)
2) yes (GO TO #17)
17)how old are your children?

 

 

 

 

 

 

18) What do you consider to be your religion, if any?

1)none

2)catholic

3)protestant

4)baptist

5)unitarian

6)jehovahs witness

7)lutheran

8)other
19)have you ever stayed in any shelter for battered women before this?

1 26
Appendix A

1) no (GO TO #21)
2) yes (GO TO #20)
20)how many times have you stayed
in a shelter before this?
21) I'd like to ask you a few questions about you and your relationship with
the person who has abused you. I realize it may be hard for you to talk
about this, so there only a few questions. First, what is your assailant's first
hameenlx?
What was your relationship with when you came into the
shelter? Was he:

 

1)your husband?;

2) your ex-husband?;

3)boyfriend?;

4)ex-boyfriend?; or

5)someone else? (Specify I
22) how long have (had) you and been together?
months/years/weeks (circle one)
23)what was your living arrangement just before you came to the shelter?
Were you:

1)Iiving at separate places?;

2)informally separated?;

3)legally separated?;

4)Iiving together?
24) It's not uncommon to leave a relationship when there Is abuse going on.
Sometimes women leave many times. In fact, its rare for a woman to break
off the relationship permanently unless she has left and came back several
times. How many times would you say you left, or been separated from
before this? (ASK HER TO GIVE HER BEST GUESS
IF SHE'S NOT SURE)

 

1 27
Appendix A

25) Here is the last question about your assailant, but it may not be pleasant
to answer. Could you tell me, by your own definitions, in what ways you
were abused by your assailant? Were you physically, emotionally, sexually
mistreated, or some combination of these?.

1 )emotionally

2)physically

3)sexually

4)emotionally and physically

5)emotionally and sexually

6)physically and sexually

7)all of the above
26) okay, now before we end, let's talk about you, and your furture.
What do you like to do to relax?(tv, hot baths, coffee with friends, read, play
cards,eat chocolate)

 

27) what do you think are your greatest strengths? what do you like about
yourself? what do you do well?(don't be shy, strengths can be things that
seem to be little things.)

 

28) Do you have any immediate or long-term goals for yourself that you
would like to tell me about? (take your time)

 

Those are all the questions I have. Is there anything you would like to add?
Okay. Thank you so much for your time, and your energy. I really
appreciate itll Its great to hear about your ideas, you've been very helpfulll
(thanks again)

WHAT TIME IS IT??

TURN OFF RECORDER

MARK THE TAPE

COMPLETE INDEX CARD—

APPENDIX B

Appendix B

5 III .9 'IE'

 

Financial Resource Area

Response

 

Legal (40)

Affordable /Accessible Legal Services

Legal Aid Needs to Move Faster/ by Cutting Waiting List
or Hiring More Lawyers

Improvements in Legal Procedures

Attitudes of Service Providers

Legal Aid Needs to be Available for Calls More than 6 Hours
per Week; Open 5 Instead of 2 Days per Week

Need to Recognize Forms of Abuse that are Not Physical

Advertise Availability

Expand Sources of Help

DSS Not Force Woman to Take Action Against Husband

Vague Response

Heusimflemelt (36)

Improving DSS Response

Need Help in This Area

Payment Plan, Work Exchange, Bartering for Deposit, or
Lower Deposit

Emergency Needs Program (ENP) Offered Though Department
of Social Services (DSS) Should Give More Time to
Search for Housing, Instead of Expiring After 5 Days

Change Attitudes of Service Providers

Vague Responses

Need Affordable and/or Better Quality Permanent Housing

Process Section 8 Applications Faster

128

u—L
A-‘NNNQ 03-50 #

.A
010)

01

d-‘OJ-hh

129

Appendix B

Irahsecrtaticn (35)

Improve DSS Response

Generally Need Low Cost Transportation, or Especially
for Doctor

Improve Shelter Response

Advertise Help Available and Other

Improve CATA BUS System Response

Need Agencies to Help with Moving Out of Town Costs

Federal or State Monies Given to Community Agencies to
Provide Rides, Low Cost Bus, Financing Car Buying

Iemecraorfihelter (33)

Change Procedures in Running Shelters

Provide Transportation for Residents to Take Care of
Business Such as Searching for Housing

Need More Shelters, or More Beds, or Better Facilities

Ways to Increase Funding and Donations for Shelter

Need to Stay More Than Thirty Days

Improvements in Shelter Childcare

More Counselors and Legal Help for Shelter Residents

Need Staff to Do More Advocacy Work--lnforming Residents
about Resources, Other Shelters, Answering Questions

Advertise More/Awareness Program to Inform
People of Shelter Available

Help Residents Find Permanent Housing

Emclexmem (32)

Changes in Information and Opportunities

Pay Changes

More Job Training/Free Training / More Entry-Level
Positions/ No Discrimination in Training

Change DSS Response

Find Jobs to Match Skills/ More Assessment for Placement

Shelter Act as Liason, Gather Info from MESC and
Employment Agencies, to Help Residents

Provide Transportation to Job

Childcare Provided with Jobs

Unclear Suggestion

-‘N N QQQO-hck on N N-hOIO'Im ‘0

”#01 030

130

Bent (30)

Improve DSS Response, Procedures, Renovations
DSS Needs to Allot More Money for Rent for Recipients
Need Safe Housing/ Help finding Housing

Vague Response

Subsidies and Emergency Funds

Need More Resources/Agencies to Help Beyond DSS
Help Single Women and Single Mothers More

Clothing (30)

Oualtity, Quantity, and Type of Clothes in Agencies
Agencies Give Vouchers or Money for Clothes for Needy
Advertise Availability

Generally Need More Help Available or More Agencies
Shelter Referrals to Appropriate Agencies
Transportation to Clothing Banks

chsehcldltemc (25)

Advertise Availablility

Agency Response

Oualtity, Type, and Price of Items at Agencies

Improve Donations

Referrals

Help Needy/ More Help is Needed in this Area

Delivery of Heavy Furniture Items

One Central Clearinghouse per City Where Donations are
Made, and Items are Sold at Very Low Price

Childcare (25)

Oualtity and Affordability of Childcare

Improve DSS Response

Change Provider/Agency Response

Advertise Availability

Vague Responses

Other

Large Community Cooperative, Paid Partly by Taxes
Employers Provide Childcare

Appendix B

1

ANNNQO AANNhCD‘

-* dNOD-h-bolol

#dNNNNh‘

131

Medical (22)

Generally Need Help Paying [Free Medical Services; Faster

Service; Insure all People; Especially Children
Changes in Medicaid Policies
More Medical Referrals/ Information
Stop Pharmacies Discrimation Against Medicaid
Service Providers Come to Shelter to Provide Services

Eeed (21)

Improve County Foodbanks Hours and Procedures

Give Fresh Meats (Not Canned) or Vouchers for Milk,
Meat, or Butter

Improve DSS Response

People with Children Need to be a Priority

Advertise/ Awareness Program to Inform People

Agencies Should Network, Combine Efforts

!!|'|'|' ] I I (17)
Improve DSS Response

People Who Need Help Should Get Help From Agencies
Vendoring Improvements

Preventing Shutoffs

QIIJCE

Need Agencies to Find Loan Institutions to Help Finance
Purchase of Home

Appendix B

4.4—5(903 (D d-‘Nmo

000.5%

LIST OF REFERENCES

REFERENCES

Barnett, E.R., Pittman, C.B., Regan, OK, and Salus, MK. (1980). Eamjly

W (DHHS Publication No. OHDS
80-30258).Washington, DC: US. Government Printing Office.

Bass, 0., & Rice, J. (1979). Agency response to the abused wife.

SeciaLCasewerIsLGCIGI. 338-342-
Burris, C.A., & Jaffe, P. (1984). Vlfife battering: A well-kept secret.

CanadianJeumaLeLCrirninelMIz), 171-177.

Carlson, B. (1984). Causes and maintenance of domestic violence:
An ecological analysis. WW,
569-587.

Citizens Advisory Task Force. (June 1978). mm
Il'l' C 'l 'l"|l'||' '||

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