๐งตToday is #InternationalWomensDay and to mark the occasion I'm writing this thread on the domestic abuse endured by disabled women, with particular reference to how the Social Security system can leave them trapped in such toxic situations with no realistic prospect of escape 1
Research by the domestic abuse charity Safelives found that disabled women were twice as likely than non-disabled women to experience domestic abuse, and that the abuse itself would last significantly longer, on average for disabled women in comparison to their nondisabledโฆ2
Counterparts.The report also found that the perpetrators of this abuse are often also providers of care to their victims. This means that they have the ability to exercise significant levels of coercive control because victims may be reliant on them for things such asโฆ 3
Fulfilment of personal care needs, access to essential medication, access to food and transportation to anywhere they need to go. The withholding of any one or all of these facets of care puts disabled victims in a particularly vulnerable position and forces them to acquiesceโฆ4
To the demands of their abuser(s). For example, they may be sexually coerced in exchange for receiving the care that they need,
Moreover, Perpetrators of domestic abuse against disabled women often use the fact that victims are disabled as a means of further degrading and ...5
Moreover, Perpetrators of domestic abuse against disabled women often use the fact that victims are disabled as a means of further degrading and ...5
isolating them. They emphasise and play on the disparityIn the power dynamic between themselves and their victims, potentially leading the victim to believe that the abuse is justified and that they are merely a 'burden' on the perpetrator and should be grateful...6
that they are being cared for. This is typical gaslighting and leads victims to not only feel helpless and realise what they really do have no realistic means of escape, but also in some cases they may start to believe the awful words that their abuser is subjecting...7
them to are true.
As well as being dependent on their abuser for care provision, a disabled victim is likely to also be financially dependent, particularly if they can't work.This is due to the fact that the Social Security system takes the income of both partners...8
As well as being dependent on their abuser for care provision, a disabled victim is likely to also be financially dependent, particularly if they can't work.This is due to the fact that the Social Security system takes the income of both partners...8
into account when calculating eligibility for means tested benefits. Therefore if the victim is in a relationship with somebody who has savings of over ยฃ16,000, they will not be entitled to income replacement benefit even if have no savings of their own. The impact of thisโฆ9
can be devastating. It provides ammunition for the perpetrator of abuse to keep up the horrific narrative that victims should be grateful we looked after, since they can't financially contribute the household, and furthermore a lack of an finances makes it extremely...10
difficult for nonworking disabled victims to escape the horrific situation in which they find themselves, owing to the fact that they likely have a means of finding accommodation if they do manage to get out. Additionally, there is no guarantee that once out of such...11
A situation, the victim will be able to claim the same benefits they were on before they began cohabiting with their abuser, they would have to go through a completely new Work Capability Assessment, the outcome of which may lead to them qualifying for less money than they ...12
did previously. In an article for the BBC in 2021, a disabled woman who had been a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her partner quoted as saying that she 'would never cohabit again' in order to protect herself. This highlights just how dangerous the... 13
current system is. I'm fighting to change it. By basing entitlement to means tested disability benefits on the income of the individual claiming rather than household income, we can end the total financial independence of disabled people on their partners...14
The potential impact such a move would be considerable. It would allow nonworking disabled people to financially contribute to their households, thereby completely destroying the horrific 'burden' narrative, while also ensuring that victims of abuse would likely have...15
at least some money which they could use to leave an abusive relationship if they were ever in such a situation, meaning that they would not feel completely powerless. 16
If you think that nonworking disabled people deserve better have the system which serves to trap from potentially abusive situations, please sign my petition aimed at ending the ridiculous joint income rules which do nothing more than create an unhealthy financial disparity...17
within relationships. A link to which can be found here.petition.parliament.uk/petitions/6332โฆ 18
It should be noted that this is not only a UK problem, with similar issues reported in the US and Australia among other countries, which the governments there seem to have no intention of addressing, even though such policies create fertile ground for abuse. 19
If you've made it this far, thank you very much for reading. I've tried to write this thread as sensitively as possible and there will be links to my research references below. I will finish by saying that, while financial equality will not and domestic abuse ...20
on it's on, it will be crucial in removing a barrier to allowing nonworking disabled people to escape such an horrific situation. An equal #RightToLove is an essential step if we are truly going to end the horrific scourge of domestic abuse. 21
References
restlessnetwork.com/disabled-womenโฆ
safelives.org.uk/sites/default/โฆ
bbc.co.uk/news/disabilitโฆ
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restlessnetwork.com/disabled-womenโฆ
safelives.org.uk/sites/default/โฆ
bbc.co.uk/news/disabilitโฆ
22
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