Do welfare programs reduce family and youth violence?
Yes
Programs that improve economic security and encourage employment have the added benefit of reducing family and youth violence. Researchers have found that policy changes that increase monetary benefits to low-income families reduce official reports of child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and violent behaviors among youth. These policies have been credited with decreasing risk factors for violence by reducing stress associated with economic instability and improving mental health and relationships among family members. A study using data from vulnerable families in 20 large cities between 1998 and 2010 found that having access to the Earned Income Tax Credit was associated with reduced rates of intimate partner violence, including a 45% reduction in the likelihood of isolation victimization and a 53% reduction in the likelihood of economic coercion.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources:
EconoFact Does the Safety Net Help Prevent Family and Youth Violence?
Research Papers in Economics EconPapers: Money matters: Does the minimum wage affect child maltreatment rates?
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign How does the minimum wage affect child maltreatment and parenting behaviors? An analysis of the mechanisms
National Library of Medicine The impact of temporary assistance for needy families, minimum wage, and Earned Income Tax Credit on Women’s well-being and intimate partner violence victimization
Econofact is partnering with Gigafact–an initiative focused on countering misinformation and spreading facts.