Violence Against Women

          In this blog entry, I am going to talk about the links between violence against women and poverty. I will also look at violence from a feminist approach.The Public Health Agency of Canada looked at the relationship between violence against women and poverty, the research indicated that in general, Canadian women are subject to being abused or facing violence regardless of their background, culture or race (The Public Health Agency of Canada p.4). Women who are neither wealthy nor capable of supporting themselves are highly dependent on their male partners. The Public Health Agency of Canada explained that those women who are in need of money and financial stability tend to be in exposure of abuse and violence, because they are dependent on their male spouse or family relative for providing them with the life necessities they lack (p.7). As a result, young and Aboriginal women are good candidates of being abused and oppressed, for that they have a lack of economic and financial security and a lack of job experience (The Public Health Agency of Canada p.3). However, immigrant women go also through many challenges because they either have not developed good English communication skills or they did not have the opportunity to work in the Canadian jobs field (The Public Health Agency of Canada, p.5). 

            Moreover, poverty and violence are interconnected to each other because they both lead to one another. For example, women who live in poverty are likely to be victims of family violence: they bear being mistreated and beaten up in order to survive. On the other hand, women who are abused put up with any kinds of violence they encounter with, so they can maintain their social class and the good quality of life they have. The Public Health Agency of Canada argued that “The similar effects that violence and poverty have on women have led some to conclude that to live in poverty is a form of societal abuse” (p.4). Hence, I strongly believe that poverty and violence have an incredible effect on the woman's health and self-esteem. If the woman is healthy, she will be productive. As a result, she will become successful and she will also develop a sense of self worth, respect, and importance. 

Furthermore, the feminist movement occurred to represent all kinds of  women, especially the marginalized ones. Boucher mentioned in her article that looked at violence from a feminist perspective that many feminists believe women should be treated the same way men are treated; they believe that equality between both genders starts with education and turns out to social movements (p.4). Furthermore, feminists believe that violence should be recognized as for what it really is; harmful and evil. They also debate that violence should also be identified as a serious social issue, so that we can overcome it as a society (Boucher, p.5). Feminists are very conscious and aware of the terms they use to define violence. Also, they work to spread awareness about violence against women, informing society members with what needs to be known in order to take a stand against violence (Boucher, p.8).

In conclusion, violence against women and poverty are connected to each other. The Public Health Agency of Canada examined the relationship between abused and poor women in one of its researches. A feminist approach views violence as a product of an oppressive society (Boucher, p.4). 

-Farah

References: 

Boucher, L. Naming the Problem: Feminists Frame Violence against Women. Brescia University

College.1-10. Retrieved from:
http://www.brescia.uwo.ca/search.htmlsitesearch=http%3A%2F%2F
http://www.brescia.uwo.ca/iwil/events/conferences/lisa_mae_boucher.pdf

Public Health Agency of Canada (2008). Breaking the links between poverty and violence

against women. 1-36.Retrieved from: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/pdfs/fem-brklnks-eng.pdf