Citation

Lennett J. Law Policy 1997; 19(2): 183-203.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, State University of New York at Buffalo, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1467-9930.00027

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research confirms that significant numbers of AFDC-eligible women are currently or formerly battered women. Policymakers intent on turning AFDC into a successful program of transitional assistance should not ignore this fact, for to do so would place battered women and their children at risk for serious harm, and insure the failure of welfare reform. AFDC policy re-crafted in light of this data should prioritize safety for battered women and children; early assessment of the needs of applicants and recipients; recovery from the effects of violence; flexibility in setting program requirements; and integrated systems of service for battered women and their children. By responding in these ways, governments can empower battered women to move with integrity from lives gripped by violence and the aftermath of violence to lives of safety and independence.

Language: en