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Violence against women remains endemic in Canadian society despite law-and-order approaches, making it imperative that we consider and address systemic inequalities that perpetuate domestic violence.

Ontario's social assistance policies facilitate violence against women in many ways, including subsistence-level rates, the treatment of fraud, and assumptions of spousal economic dependency.

The erosion of social assistance rates in Ontario and across Canada has made it difficult for women to get out of violent situations. Social assistance rates that are grossly inadequate to address women's needs create a barrier to their ability to leave or avoid abusive relationships.

Simply put, poverty and low payments leave lower-income women with few options for survival. Abuse of women occurs in every economic stratum, but financial disadvantage creates a stubborn barrier to escape.

Enhancement of social assistance rates won't eradicate violence against women, but would give a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable women in Canadian society.

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