We can’t end domestic violence until we fix wage disparities
Many of us have heard the statistics around gender wage disparity. On average women earn 82 cents of every dollar a white man earns. According to the 2018 Census Bureau data, when you dig deeper you’ll discover that for Black women it’s 62 cents, for Indigenous women it’s 57 cents, and for Hispanic/Latin(a/o/x) women it’s 54 cents. For women who are experiencing domestic abuse, this gap can have an even greater impact on their and their children’s safety and future. Inclusion and gender wage gap expert, Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown says “[i]n the long-term, the gender wage gap is consequential because it means that women, and their families, are financially disadvantaged. Another consequence of the gender wage gap is higher levels of poverty, especially among women raising children alone.”
This disparity in earnings directly links to why it can be extremely difficult for women to leave abusive relationships. That data shows that between 94 and 99 percent of domestic violence relationships experience some form of economic abuse. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence economic abuse is “when an abuser takes control of or limits access to shared or individual assets or limits the current or future earning potential of the victim as a strategy of power and control.” Economic abuse can take on many forms such as forcing a victim to give the abuser money, ATM cards, or credit cards. The disproportionate rate of pay for men and women; only compounds this form of abuse. This means a victim will have to rely on the abuser for necessities (food, housing, toiletries, and medicine). Additionally, having a lower salary decreases the opportunities to escape.
When I was still with my abuser, I worked part-time at a nonprofit. For so long, I told myself I had to stay because I could not afford to leave. I did not make enough money to keep my household afloat therefore I had to go back to him and I had to make the relationship work. My story is no different from the women I work with as an advocate and life coach. One client shared that her ex-boyfriend would find excuses as to why she couldn’t work or blame her for not earning enough money to contribute to the household. Another client relied heavily on the child support and alimony she received from her ex-husband that abused her to take care of herself and their child. Oftentimes, Black women who are requesting financial support from the Eva Lee Parker Fund, share that they have thoughts of going back because they just cannot afford to support themselves (and their children) on their own.
To begin to close the gap, American Progress suggests that women need “updated comprehensive equal pay legislation, such as the Paycheck Fairness Act, that will strengthen existing protections and further combat discriminatory practices.” Additionally, “[b]eyond public policy, society must confront cultural biases that continue to harm women — particularly women of color — by devaluing their work and confining them to specific gender roles.” I encourage company leadership to take a deep dive into their pay structures, policies, and the experiences of women and especially women of color employees.
When we are discussing implementing a domestic violence program or policy, we have to take a look at the incomes of their most vulnerable (women experiencing abuse). Dr. Mitchell Brown says, “[t]here has been a progression, and a lot of work remains, to close the gender wage gap. No single solution or company alone can eliminate the disparities between women and men. Seismic shifts are required in the areas of ongoing changes in policy, structures, and society. Changes in public policy related to pay transparency, like revisions to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Act, and Fair Pay Act, and balance, Family Medical Leve Act, continue to be the first steps in attempting to end workplace gender discrimination.” I would also add, it takes courage from employers to make changes to pay structures and for female employees to advocate for themselves.
By closing the gender wage gap, companies are giving survivors of domestic violence a chance to remain safe, support their families, and become stable employees and community members. What steps are you willing to take to protect and support victims of domestic violence by ending the gender wage gap? How will you add to the 18 cents to create a more fair pay structure?