Economic distress does not directly cause domestic violence but there is no question that economic hardships along with other outside factors cause abuse in the home. The vital key to ensure the freedom from domestic violence is economic self-reliance. While most American¡¦s would view domestic violence as a psychological and family issue, domestic violence affects not only the psyche of the victim it also perpetuates the poverty of women. The welfare reform act of 1996 increased research on violence against women who are on public assistance and who live within the poverty level. Welfare reform has considered special hardships for the victims of domestic violence, yet the Family Violence Option of 1997 (FVO), an individual state option, a special provision to welfare reform falls short of the needed assistance of abused women.

In 1996 the Republican Congress and President Clinton signed the Personal...