Women and Violence in Chicago, Illinois, 1994-1995

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of
domestic violence on women's labor force participation. The hypothesis
was that women who had experienced domestic violence would have lower
rates of labor force participation than women with no history of
domestic violence. The University of Illinois Survey Research
Laboratory conducted door-to-door interviews with women in the
Humboldt Park, Montclare, and Belmont-Cragin community areas of
Chicago. Data collection for Part 1, Humboldt Park Data, ran from
September 16, 1994, through April 9, 1995. Interviews were completed
with 824 adult women residing in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Data
collection for Part 2, Montclare and Belmont-Cragin Data, ran from
April 10, 1995, through October 15, 1995. Interviews were completed
with 149 adult women residing in the Montclare and Belmont-Cragin
community areas. Demographic information was collected on respondent's
race, marital status, income, and education, employment histories of
the respondent, respondent's husband or boyfriend, and parents, and
citizenship. Other variables include economic and social problems of
the respondent's neighborhood, respondent's relationships with men,
experiences as a victim of physical and sexual abuse by a husband or
boyfriend, if the respondent had physical and mental problems during
the past 12 months, if the respondent smoked or used alcohol or drugs,
the number of days domestic problems prevented the respondent from
working or going to school, whether respondent was emotionally,
physically, or sexually abused as a child or teenager, in what ways
the respondent's past experiences had affected her education and
employment, respondent's current work experience and earnings, and
whether the respondent received any type of public assistance.