Many women left their partners several times before taking a final break, with economic reasons often behind their return. About one in eight spent at least some time sleeping raw, in cars, tents, or on the street. Only a quarter could take away goods or goods.
Last year the previous government began offering up to $ 5,000 in cash and vouchers to people escaping violent relationships, although the two-year trial program has had initial problems. The National Alliance for Women’s Security says payments should be doubled.
Those who had left with their children were much worse off financially than when they were with their partners, worse than other women who stayed with a violent partner, and worse than single mothers who had never had a violent partner.
“It’s a devastating image,” Summers said.
Half of single mothers who had been victims of violence said government payments were their main form of income, even though 60% of them had jobs.
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Summers has described the situation as “policy-induced poverty,” especially the rules that make single parents go from the $ 880 fortnightly payment for parents to the $ 691 rate for job seekers when their young child turns eight.
“Instead of providing security or even a large part of a safety net for single mothers, the system creates, and then perpetuates, poverty and disadvantage,” she said.
“We are spending millions of dollars every year on prevention and awareness campaigns, urging women to leave their violent partners, but condemning too many women to life on the brink of a financial cliff if they are brave enough to leave.”
Single mothers were the least likely demographic group to say they could quickly raise $ 2,000 to respond to an emergency. They were also much more likely to have had cash flow problems, such as not being able to pay bills or check the car on time or having to seek financial help from family, friends or charity.
An analysis of other data from Australian National University economists Bruce Chapman and Matt Taylor found that before leaving their partner, mothers who suffered violence had about the same income as those who had nonviolent relationships.
But after leaving, the surviving victims had a much larger drop in their income, averaging $ 54,648 to $ 35,921 a year.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the welfare system should be considered in the broader context of support available to women to end violent relationships and begin recovery and healing.
“We know that domestic and domestic violence often causes women and their children to have to flee their homes and become single parents,” she said.
“We want to support parents and families, but we need to balance it to ensure that family care and social security payments are well targeted and sustainable in the future.”
Summers recommends allowing single parents to stay with the higher parent payment until their young child turns 16 and increase those payments to match the single-age pension rate. He also says the government should abolish the mutual obligations of single parents with young children and collect better data on the connection between domestic violence and single parenting.
Assistance is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men Referral Service at 1300 766 491.
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