Poverty: The greatest form of violence for women
During the Gandhi Lecture on Nonviolence at Mcmaster University, Ela Bhatt said, “Poverty is not Godgiven; it is most definitely man-made. No one is born poor; society makes one poor.”
Society sees, particularly women, who are struggling financially or personally as a lesser individual within the sociological hierarchy. Poverty is seen as a character flaw. If they are poor, it is their own fault. If they are poor, it must be because they are lazy and uneducated when in reality it is heavily due to the double duty women face in the workplace and in the household. The double duty demands of home and workplace force many women to sacrifice their long-term economic security. This is a high price to pay for being a mother. This is why poverty is the greatest form of violence for women.
Many Canadians live paycheck to paycheck. This is even truer for women who have systematic barriers stopping them from financial stability. According to www.canadianwomen.org, it is estimated that
1.5 million women in Canada live on a low income.
It is also proven that single mothers enter shelters at twice the rate of two-parent families. Domestic violence against women and children is a contributing factor to homelessness.
This vicious cycle is one that we need to prioritize finding a solution to for the simple reason that addressing women’s poverty will almost invariably simultaneously address child poverty.
This topic has been debated by academics and activists for years. The gap between those who identify and analyse problems, and those who implement solutions is wide. They mainly debate on who the poor are and how to reach them. One approach is to tackle poverty solely as an income problem. By raising incomes and creating income generating opportunities, those living in poverty can be empowered. A second approach is to address poverty as an issue of vulnerability, usually leading to the development of social programmes in the areas of education, childcare and healthcare. In either case, it is important that the struggling population have a voice in the argument. It is difficult to imagine that we as a society can make a difference if so many of us are taught that those living in poverty deserve to be where they are. The Canadian Women’s Foundation defines poverty as a chronic abuse of human dignity that strips away a person's humanity, and corrodes the human spirit.
No matter how good the intentions of activists and academics may be in finding solutions for this demographic of our population, the bigger issue is social complicity. Silence is violence towards the fragile population. Our looking the other way is a form of consent. It is our moral failure that we still tolerate struggle and poverty.
Kayla Dempsey holds a double major in Sociology and Political Science concentration in Criminology and Law and a minor in International Relations. She is preparing to travel to Nairobi, Kenya to volunteer and teach in an orphanage and displaced persons camps. Her work in Africa will afford her a first-hand understanding of homelessness and poverty in that country.
About the author: