Social Work with Women

1

• 8.
• Social Work with Women

2
Equal Pay

• Equal pay for work of similar or substantially
  similar work
• Government legislation mandated equal pay in
  pubic sector with little impact on income
  inequality

3
Employment Equity

• All provinces and federal government have
  legislation prohibiting discrimination on basis
  of sex

4
Persistent Problems

• Poverty
• Part-time work
• Minimum-wage low
• Public sector wages
• Day care
• Free trade and globalization

• Government pension programs
• Occupational health and safety
• Recessions
• Unemployment insurance programs eligibility
  requirements

5
Definitions of Terms

• Gender refers to the characteristics that
  identify social relations between men and women
  or how they are socially constructed
• Sex identifies the biological differences
• Sexism discrimination based on sex
• Patriarchy domination of society by men

6
Feminist Social Work

• Examine structures of patriarchy
• Critical analysis
• Not "blame the victim
• Reduce the power differential

7
Violence Against Women

• Statistics vary depending on definition
• Statistics Canada found 8 of women abused
  whereas Rodgers (1994) found 29
• Four major theories
• Power theory
• Learning theory
• Anger-control theory
• Cycle-of-violence theory

8
System of Helping
9
Role of a Social Worker?

• Crisis intervention, support and empowerment,
  support group facilitation and the provision of
  information
• First priority is the safety of the woman.
• Ultimately support the woman in whatever
  decisions she makes

10
Role of Social Worker

• Crisis intervention
• Emergency shelter or protection
• Support groups
• Advocacy and organizing

11
Feminization of Poverty

• 15 of women and 51.6 of lone-parent mothers
  live below LICO