Reference no: EM133728042

Case: One common theme in victim blaming for intimate partner abuse is that the victim deserves the abuse that they receive because they stay with the person who is harming them. It can be easy for someone to ask, "why doesn't s/he just leave?" when we talk about domestic violence or intimate partner violence. This activity is designed to get you to think critically about the escape process, as if you were in the survivors' shoes. In this activity, you will simulate some of the financial and psychological challenges associated with escaping an abusive relationship. Create a short-term safety plan to escape the relationship and get to resources within the community. Then, create a long-term plan to achieve independence. In doing so, you MUST calculate the financial costs of leaving the abuser (e.g., finding emergency housing that is pet friendly, buying food and basic essentials, etc.) and the costs associated with independence (e.g., arranging childcare for work, locating permanent housing, securing a job, transportation, etc).

You can put this information in bullet points (see examples below) but it should be thorough and well thought out. This project will push your boundaries and get you thinking.

The Scenario:

For this assignment, you are to assume the role of either a heterosexual woman, a woman in a same-sex relationship, or a man in a same-sex relationship (pick one) with a high school education. The only work experience you have is two years in retail working as a full-time cashier making minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) at the supermarket from 2003 to 2007. You have three children, ages seven, four, and six months. You also have a

25-pound, non-aggressive dog that you do not want to leave behind as your spouse physically abuses the dog.

You have been a stay-at-home partner for the past seven years. You have no money of your own. Your name is not on the bank account or the credit cards. Your spouse gives you an "allowance" every month of $50 to buy things for yourself. Your spouse handles the rest of the money and pays for everything. The car is also in your spouse's name only, as is the cellular phone, the house, and all bills.

For this assignment, you are to research how much it would cost in this situation to:

Initially be able to leave your abuser

Function on your own monthly, without the assistance of friends or family (as your partner has isolated you from them) and without the help of social service agencies.

You can select names for the children and dog, if you wish. Determine the details of the people involved, the city/state this is occurring in (Chattanooga), and think about the type of violence going on in the home. You must be specific and include details for each of the items in the Costs section below. You also must provide a grand total of how much it would cost to live each month.

Part 1: Costs
Cite the source of where you found this information.

Also, you must estimate the monthly cost and the initial cost to move out of the abusive situation. Be specific for each estimate! This is to be for your local area (Chattanooga). See examples below.

Specifically, you must identify:

Monthly rent for at least a two-bedroom apartment that allows pets. Include the security and pet deposit, if applicable, and what utilities are included in the rent.

Example: $650 a month found on Jan. 8 on Craigslist. $650 security deposit and $500 pet deposit. Sewage and garbage included. Monthly cost: $650. Move in cost: $1150.

Estimate for one month's utilities in apartment (whatever the rent does not include, such as gas, water, garbage, or electricity).
Example: Gas estimate $83/month for a two-bedroom apartment.

Cost to obtain a cellular phone (startup fee, price of phone, price per month). Include carrier, type of phone, and type of plan you are selecting.