In Pursuit of Economic Justice : The Political Economy of Domestic Violence Laws and Policies

This article addresses the issue of partner violence involving economic violence where victims may be abused through interference of acquiring or maintaining economic resources. The article draws attention to the lack of efficacy of legal and policy responses to the economic consequences of such abuse. The article notes that legal responses such as the Violence Against Women Act and the I.R.S Income Tax Relief are not effective responses to gender violence because they respectively limit remedies for economic violence and are too convoluted for the victims to understand and use. The article addresses that domestic abuser treatment programs may also not be effective because they do not address the larger issue of economic hardship as a determinant of economic violence. The article concludes by describing emerging models designed to ameliorate economic abuse such as economic justice initiatives and domestic violence programs like the Center for Survivor Agency and Justice (“CSAJ”) organization.