According to statistics in America, about 70 per cent of the population of those who are poor are women and children, with mostly single mothers facing the highest risk. Poverty rates vary across races, with women of colour, such as blacks and Latinas, having the highest poverty rate. Native women, such as Asian and non-Hispanic poverty, are also trapped in poverty.
About 30 per cent of single mothers in America are living in poverty and acting as breadwinners in their families. Women of age and young girls, compared to older men and boys, are likely to be raised in families rocked with poverty. Women and children are trapped in poverty in the suburbs due to poor education, rising unemployment rates and the effect of the recession that the suburbs still experience. The suburbs are underfunded, and few governmental projects are undertaken to help the populace over there. Poverty in the suburbs has been exacerbated by the fact the people and the government tend to believe that the urban areas are more affected by poverty than the inner cities; hence, limited social assistance programs are channelled to them. American poverty is no longer an urban problem but has permeated the inner cities, too.
Most people who live in the inner cities, especially women, have low-income jobs, and the rise in poverty in the suburbs has been attributed to a lack of infrastructure, and safety-net supports to help the growing population of poor people there. The suburbs do not easily access social services, hence the isolation in terms of receiving safety net support. The problem of finding affordable homes in the suburbs has made it impossible for low-income families to find better housing since most of the houses were built by developers who were providing better housing a decade ago for the growing family population.
Poverty among women and mothers is attributed to some societal issues and factors facing them. Gender socialization considers women to be the custodians of children and to take care of them rather than fathers. Women are heaped with the responsibility of childcare, especially in the absence of the father figure. A vivid case can be seen in men of colour when the male partner is incarcerated. Pregnancy and the associated cost that comes with it due to a decrease in work opportunities for women. Family responsibilities lead women to sacrifice work to take care of their families. The burden of pregnancy makes women take leave from work to follow the birth of the unborn child.
The pay inequality that exists between women and men, regardless of them having the same job grade, also contributes to poverty among women. Women are paid less than men, and sometimes, they are burdened with doing unpaid chores such as taking care of a sick family member, cleaning the house and other household chores.
Domestic violence and sexual abuse also risk the chances of most women leaving their jobs, feeling hopeless and suffering mental problems. Victims of domestic violence are sometimes forced to leave their jobs to seek medical care, which might put their jobs in jeopardy. Sexual abuse, especially in the office, risks the employability of women, with some of them being afraid of reporting to work.
Personal Opinion
Efforts should be channelled to help women, especially those of colour and from poor inner cities, to overcome the challenges that come with being a woman and to alleviate them from poverty by giving them more opportunities regarding access to jobs.
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