The Allstate Foundation and the National Network to End Domestic Violence created a financial education curriculum to improve individual financial management skills and, ultimately, to improve domestic violence survivors' financial well‐being. This study, guided by the reasoned action approach, evaluates their curriculum using a longitudinal randomized control study, with data collected over four time periods spanning 14 months. The analyses demonstrated that the treatment group had an average improvement between a half point to over a full point on self‐reported financial knowledge, financial intentions, and financial behavior and a decrease in financial strain. Moreover, the impact of the curriculum persisted over time. The notable and lasting impact of participation in the curriculum for this study sample has critical implications for other agencies serving domestic violence survivors as well as other programs aimed at improving financial well‐being among their clientele.

Objective. This study investigates whether or not domestic violence agencies are located in areas of need. Recent research indicates that community economic disadvantage is a risk factor for intimate partner violence, but related questions regarding the geographic location of social service agencies have not been investigated.Methods. Using Connecticut as a case study, we analyze the relationship of agency location and police-reported domestic violence incidents and assaults using OLS regression and correcting for spatial autocorrelation.Results. The presence of an agency within a town has no relationship with the rates of domestic violence. However, regional patterns are evident.Conclusion. Findings indicate that programs are not geographically mismatched with need, but neither are programs located in towns with higher rates of incidents or assaults. Future research and planning efforts should consider the geographic location of agencies.

The US Violence Against Women Act of 2005 allocated $10 million to support collaborative efforts to create permanent housing options for domestic violence victims. Such programs are relatively new and rare, and up to now little research has examined their efficacy. This research investigates one permanent housing option, the permanent supportive housing model, through an exploratory case study of a Connecticut-based program currently being developed. The study compares the program design articulated by administrators and advocates with perspectives of domestic violence agency clients. Findings indicate important differences between the program activities and goals articulated by administrators, and those preferred by clients. Although everyone agreed that personal safety was a priority, administrators stressed independence and choice whereas clients sought a stricter, community-centered environment with timelimited stays. These themes can be used to develop hypotheses for larger studies and have important preliminary policy and program implications.

Experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) and financial hardship are often intertwined. The dynamics of an abusive relationship may include economic abuse tactics that compromise a survivor's ability to work, pursue education, have access to financial resources, and establish financial skills, knowledge, and security. An increasingly common goal among programs serving IPV survivors is increasing financial empowerment through financial literacy. However, providing financial education alone may not be enough to improve financial behaviors. Psychological factors also play a role when individuals make financial choices. Economic self-efficacy focuses on the individual's perceived ability to perform economic or financial tasks, and may be considered a primary influence on one's ability to improve financial decisions and behaviors. The current study tests the reliability and validity of a Scale of Economic Self-Efficacy with a sample of female survivors of IPV. This study uses a calibration and validation analysis model including full and split-sample exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, assesses for internal consistency, and examines correlation coefficients between economic self-efficacy, economic self-sufficiency, financial strain, and difficulty living with income. Findings indicate that the 10-item, unidimensional Scale of Economic Self-Efficacy demonstrates strong reliability and validity among this sample of IPV survivors. An ability to understand economic self-efficacy could facilitate individualized service approaches and allow practitioners to better support IPV survivors on their journey toward financial empowerment. Given the increase in programs focused on assets, financial empowerment, and economic well-being, the Scale of Economic Self-Efficacy has potential as a very timely and relevant tool in the design, implementation, and evaluation of such programs, and specifically for programs created for IPV survivors.

Agencies serving survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often include economic empowerment programs and approaches as a way to assist survivors struggling with avoiding poverty and gaining financial independence. Understanding and addressing the economic needs of IPV survivors are more complex than just knowing their income. Indeed, survivors' ability to manage their finances and any financial stress or strain should also be assessed to fully understand their needs. The Financial Strain Survey (FSS) provides a useful tool for screening and understanding survivors' complex financial needs. Using data from 457 IPV survivors from seven U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the current study evaluates the factor structure, reliability, and validity of using the FSS with IPV survivors. Findings indicate that the FSS is a reliable instrument for use with IPV survivors. The conclusion discusses the FSS as a practical tool for both practice and research with this population.