Violence Against Women and the Role of Welfare Reform in Stanislaus and Kern Counties, California, 1999-2002

This study investigated the relationship between domestic violence and welfare reform. Two specific goals were (1) to determine the impact of domestic violence on welfare tenure and employment over a three-year period, and (2) to examine the well-being of children of female welfare recipients who experienced domestic violence. In addition, the study examined issues related to mental health problems and alcohol and drug problems, both of which are associated with domestic violence. This study was based on three rounds of interviews with a random sample of welfare recipients in Kern and Stanislaus Counties, California, between April 1999 and December 2002. Although the interview instrument was slightly altered for each round, the questions in all three rounds focused on employment history, health, mental health, domestic violence victimization, children's well-being, and alcohol and drug use.

本研究旨在探讨家庭暴力与福利改革之间的关联。本研究的两项具体目标为：其一，明晰家庭暴力在三年周期内对福利领取时长与就业状况的影响；其二，考察曾遭受家庭暴力的女性福利领取者的子女福祉状况。此外，本研究还探讨了与心理健康问题、酒精与药物滥用问题相关的议题——上述两类问题均与家庭暴力存在关联。本研究的数据来自1999年4月至2002年12月期间，针对加利福尼亚州克恩县与斯坦尼斯劳斯县的福利领取者随机抽样群体开展的三轮访谈。尽管三轮访谈的工具均略有调整，但三轮访谈的核心问题均围绕就业经历、身体健康、心理健康、家庭暴力受害经历、子女福祉以及酒精与药物使用情况展开。