● Poverty rates for females and males are almost even throughout childhood. However, the gap grows significantly for women ages 18 to 44 (during prime childbearing years) and again for women ages 75 and older. ● Women with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty than both men with disabilities and persons without disabilities. Women with disabilities have a poverty rate of 22.9%, compared to 17.9% for men with disabilities and 11.4% for women without disabilities. ● LGBTQ women experience higher rates of poverty than cisgender (sense of personal identity and gender correspond with their birth sex) straight women and men because of the intersections of discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. Reasons women live in poverty The impact of sexism and racism on society limits the employment opportunities that are available to women. Some of the causes of poverty in women include the following issues: ● Wage gap : Based on 2021 data, women working full time, year-round earn on average 83 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). This figure has remained relatively stable in recent years, as data from 2018 indicated women were earning an average of 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. This gap continues throughout the life span, leaving women with fewer resources and savings than men (Bleiweis et al., 2020). ● Occupational segregation into low-paying jobs : Women are disproportionately represented in certain occupations, especially low-paying jobs. This is due, in part, to the perception of gender roles that assume women’s work is low skilled and undervalued. This is especially true for women of color (Bleiweis et al., 2020). ● Lack of work–family policies : Issues such as insufficient paid family and medical leave as well as earned paid sick leave impact a woman’s ability to manage work and caregiving. Childcare is expensive and sometimes hard to access. These issues further compound problems associated with work–family challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the caregiving burden on women because of essential school and childcare provider closures, which has contributed to higher job loss among women (Bleiweis et al., 2020). ● Disability : Disability may cause, as well as be a consequence of, poverty. People with disabilities must deal with barriers to employment as well as lower earnings. Only 16.4% of women with disabilities were Disability Physical, intellectual, mental and behavioral health, and other long-term disabilities constitute another facet of diversity within the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2020), 61 million adults (26% of adults) in the U.S. live with a disability. Those with disabilities have experienced a history of discriminatory practices that have often resulted in exclusion from mainstream society. Historically, individuals with disabilities have been physically segregated from others as a result of policies encouraging the institutionalization of people with physical, developmental, and/or mental and behavioral health disabilities. Institutionalization has prevented many individuals with disabilities from meaningful education and work and has limited opportunities to socialize with the broader community. At its worst, institutionalization has resulted in the neglect, mistreatment, and abuse of individuals who identified as having a disability.
employed in 2018, compared with 60.2% without a disability (Bleiweis et al., 2020). ● Domestic violence : In the U.S., domestic violence is the cause of women losing an average of 8 million days of paid work per year. The Violence against Women Act (VAWA) has led to lowered rates of gender- based violence in the U.S. thanks to the programs and services it has provided since its introduction in 1994 and reauthorization in 2022 (VAWA, 2022). The passage of the VAWA introduced a coordinated community response across local, state, and federal levels to domestic violence and sexual assault. VAWA helped create the first sense of coordination between the legal system, social services, and private nonprofit organizations in their efforts to address domestic violence. In a 2005 statement, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated that “VAWA is one of the most effective pieces of legislation enacted to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It has dramatically improved the law enforcement response to violence against women and has provided critical services necessary to support women in their struggle to overcome abusive situations" (ACLU, 2005). Provisions introduced by VAWA include: ○ A federal rape shield law, which limits the ability for rape complainants to be questioned regarding their past sexual history. ○ Victim protection for those evicted from their home due to domestic violence or stalking. ○ Funding for rape crisis centers, hotlines, and other victim assistance services. ○ Legal aid for victims of domestic violence. Unfortunately, the programs and services of the VAWA are not able to meet the ongoing needs of domestic violence survivors without more funding and expansion of resources (Bleiweis et al., 2020). The VAWA must be renewed every five years, with the most recent reauthorization occurring in March 2022. In addition to securing funding for services, the 2022 reauthorization also strengthened nondiscrimination laws for all genders and created an LGBTQ services program, among other new provisions. Self-Assessment Quiz Question #3 Which of the following persons is most likely to live in poverty? a. A woman who self-identifies as Alaska Native. Deinstitutionalization was ushered in by the very public exposure of the abuses of those living in Willowbrook State School in Staten Island. In 1972, Geraldo Rivera, a television reporter, was given the key to the school by one of the physicians employed there to expose its squalor and the neglect of the children residing there. His reporting, a better understanding of how to effectively treat those with disabilities, and the introduction of psychotherapeutic medications resulted in the beginning of the end of institutionalization and the beginning of offering those with disabilities community-based services. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC; 2021) Enforcement and Litigation Statistics and Agency Financial Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, retaliation was the most frequently alleged discriminatory claim, accounting for 55.8% of all charges. b. A man who is 45 years of age. c. A married man with two children. d. An unmarried woman without children.
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Book Code: SWUS1525
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