Q+A

The Choice: Violence or Poverty (2022x21)

: 07, 2022

The cruel choice facing Australian women in abusive relationships: violence or poverty. We’ll look at a groundbreaking study that lays bare the shocking extent of this crisis, and speak to lead researcher and trailblazing author Anne Summers, survivors, advocates and experts to hear what can be done to change the conversation. Dr Summers’ new report reveals some staggering insights – that 60 per cent of single mothers have experienced domestic violence, and majority of them are single mothers because of that violence. She says many of these women are forced to live in “policy-induced poverty” and says it’s time to change our thinking about what support we give to women who leave violent relationships. In 2016, 275,000 women had suffered physical or sexual violence from a current partner. Around 83,000 women left temporarily but returned for various reasons, including hoping their partner would change, but around 12,000 returned because they have no money or nowhere to go.