Gender Relations, Housing Gender Relations, Housing Distress, and Persistent Poverty Distress, and Persistent Poverty

in Kentuckyin Kentucky

Joanna M. Badagliacco, Ph.D.Joanna M. Badagliacco, Ph.D.

Department of SociologyDepartment of SociologyCenter for Poverty ResearchCenter for Poverty Research

Appalachian Center Appalachian Center

University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky

jmb@uky.edujmb@uky.edu

22

Social Construction of Family HomelessnessSocial Construction of Family Homelessness National recognition recent decades that more National recognition recent decades that more

families were experiencing homelessnessfamilies were experiencing homelessness

Agenda to understand family homelessness in Agenda to understand family homelessness in order to determine the causes and consequences order to determine the causes and consequences if we expect to assist familiesif we expect to assist families

I contend that we must question the definitions I contend that we must question the definitions we use because our definitions are fraught with we use because our definitions are fraught with ideological issuesideological issues• What is family homelessness?What is family homelessness?• Does categorization dismiss poverty?Does categorization dismiss poverty?• Thin line between the domiciled and undomiciled poorThin line between the domiciled and undomiciled poor

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Kentucky DemographicsKentucky Demographics

KY per capita personal income: $22,183 KY per capita personal income: $22,183 (1998)(1998)

4343rd rd in US and 82% of national average in US and 82% of national average KY residents in poverty (2000 census)KY residents in poverty (2000 census)

• Children under age 18: 21%Children under age 18: 21%• Persons 65 and older: 10%Persons 65 and older: 10%• Families with no husband/father present & Families with no husband/father present &

children 5 years of younger: 56%children 5 years of younger: 56%

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Persons in Poverty in KentuckyPersons in Poverty in Kentucky

Darker green = higher level of poverty

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Research SitesResearch Sites

Persistent PovertyPersistent Poverty MountainousMountainous Bleak economic Bleak economic

picturepicture Few jobsFew jobs Inadequate Inadequate

education education

66

Interviews Interviews

Mothers who were in housing distressMothers who were in housing distress Total in-depth interviews to date: 102 Total in-depth interviews to date: 102

mothers in severe poverty, 16 had male mothers in severe poverty, 16 had male partners who were also interviewedpartners who were also interviewed

Ethnographic oral life historiesEthnographic oral life histories Interviews in several counties of KentuckyInterviews in several counties of Kentucky Longitudinal attempts to follow mothers Longitudinal attempts to follow mothers

not very successful (yet!)not very successful (yet!)

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Understanding Rural Poverty Understanding Rural Poverty and Homelessnessand Homelessness

Poverty and homelessness must be considered as process not as a crisis

Often a temporal chain of events that pushes family to social marginalization, often making unrelenting poverty and/or homelessness a permanent condition

My study: childhood abuse as a major risk factor for homelessness of mothers

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Understanding Rural Poverty and Understanding Rural Poverty and Homelessness, Homelessness, cont.cont.

Problem is not simply insufficient income Problem is not simply insufficient income or housingor housing

Wide-ranging heterogeneous life Wide-ranging heterogeneous life conditionsconditions

Multiplicity of factors:Multiplicity of factors: Family and kinship relationshipsFamily and kinship relationships Social and cultural environments of communitySocial and cultural environments of community Conditions for social integrationConditions for social integration Needs of particular family members based on Needs of particular family members based on

household composition, age of childrenhousehold composition, age of children Opportunities for living-wage employmentOpportunities for living-wage employment Physical and mental health of familyPhysical and mental health of family

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DemographicsDemographics 27 years old (avg.)27 years old (avg.) White (rural); Black (urban)White (rural); Black (urban) 11 years of education (avg.)11 years of education (avg.) 2 or 3 children with mother currently2 or 3 children with mother currently High levels of domestic violenceHigh levels of domestic violence Partner relationships weakPartner relationships weak Income less than $10,000 annuallyIncome less than $10,000 annually Most receive(d) some social welfare, Most receive(d) some social welfare,

usually food stamps and medical cards usually food stamps and medical cards for children, shelter, food bank, church for children, shelter, food bank, church voluntary servicesvoluntary services

1010

Childhood ExperiencesChildhood Experiences

Unstable lives (violence, neglect, Unstable lives (violence, neglect, food insecurity, frequent moving)food insecurity, frequent moving) 86.786.7

NeglectNeglect 77.977.9

Physical AbusePhysical Abuse 78.078.0

Family ViolenceFamily Violence 76.476.4

Sexual AbuseSexual Abuse 64.364.3

Parent Substance AbuserParent Substance Abuser 46.246.2

Percent Reporting

1111

Childhood ViolenceChildhood Violence

Overwhelming majority reported Overwhelming majority reported serious family distress as children: serious family distress as children: violence, abandonment, neglect, violence, abandonment, neglect, sexual abusesexual abuse

Hear their voices...Hear their voices...

1212

How to tell their stories?How to tell their stories?

Mothers openly describe exceptionally Mothers openly describe exceptionally difficult circumstancesdifficult circumstances

How can their stories be told in a way that How can their stories be told in a way that does not victimize them again but still does not victimize them again but still describes their situations?describes their situations?

My current solution: describe their My current solution: describe their courageous ability to survive poverty and courageous ability to survive poverty and familial distressfamilial distress

Theoretical path that emerges: gender Theoretical path that emerges: gender relationsrelations

1313

Housing Distress Continuum based Housing Distress Continuum based on Gendered Relationshipson Gendered Relationships

Matrifocal Patrifocal

Sociofocal

Religiofocal

Housed Poor

1414

Matrifocal mothers:

see themselves as responsible for future, working within system

Mothers

children

Partners/fathers

Strong Family, Kin, Community, Social Welfare ties

1515

Matrifocal MothersMatrifocal Mothers ““Fighter” Fighter” Less likely to be found in rural KYLess likely to be found in rural KY Sees herself as central to family, with or Sees herself as central to family, with or

without male partnerwithout male partner Fluid concept of “family”Fluid concept of “family” Expects to provide for her children by Expects to provide for her children by

working and social servicesworking and social services Strong ties with family and kin of originStrong ties with family and kin of origin Experiences distress as episodic, part of Experiences distress as episodic, part of

family poverty family poverty

1616

Patrifocal mothers:

see males –as sole providers now and for the future.

Mothers

Children

Male: partner, father(s)

as sole provider

Weaker Family, Kin, Community, Social Welfare ties

1717

Patrifocal MothersPatrifocal Mothers ““Dependent”Dependent” Prevalent in Appalachia KYPrevalent in Appalachia KY Male partner seen as essentialMale partner seen as essential Children important; multiple fathersChildren important; multiple fathers Traditional view of nuclear familyTraditional view of nuclear family Family and kin ties weaker and possibly Family and kin ties weaker and possibly

violent and/or estrangedviolent and/or estranged Experiences distress as a crisis until Experiences distress as a crisis until

male partner (current or future) rescues male partner (current or future) rescues familyfamily

Often had unrealistic plans for futureOften had unrealistic plans for future

1818

Sociofocal mothers:

women desire male providers in whose absence the state provides through child welfare.

Mothers

Children

Welfare state becomes

“husband” and provider

Very Weak Male, Family, Kin, Community ties

1919

Sociofocal MothersSociofocal Mothers ““Resigned”Resigned” Somewhat prevalent in Appalachia KYSomewhat prevalent in Appalachia KY Family less stable, unlikely to remain intact Family less stable, unlikely to remain intact Requires social intervention for children and Requires social intervention for children and

self; may be reluctant to accept helpself; may be reluctant to accept help Male partner seen as essential but Male partner seen as essential but

unreliableunreliable Weak partner, family, and kin ties, may be Weak partner, family, and kin ties, may be

violent, estrangedviolent, estranged Experiences distress as a crisis until Experiences distress as a crisis until futurefuture

male partner rescues family; unrealistic male partner rescues family; unrealistic plansplans

2020

Religiofocal women:

faith in religion, Jesus as provider now and for the future

Mothers

Children

“God” or “Jesus” seen as good

provider

Weakest Family, Kin, Community, Social Welfare ties

2121

Religiofocal MothersReligiofocal Mothers ““Fatalist”Fatalist” Some mothers in Appalachia KYSome mothers in Appalachia KY Family very unstable, unlikely to remain Family very unstable, unlikely to remain

intact; outside social systemintact; outside social system ““Jesus” seen as only provider; “God will Jesus” seen as only provider; “God will

provide” for futureprovide” for future Children likely to be formally Children likely to be formally

relinquishedrelinquished Male partner(s) rejected; severed Male partner(s) rejected; severed

family, and kin tiesfamily, and kin ties Experiences distress as what “God” or Experiences distress as what “God” or

“Jesus” wants for her and children; “Jesus” wants for her and children; “accepts God’s will”; no plans for future“accepts God’s will”; no plans for future

2222

Rural Violence and PovertyRural Violence and Poverty

Experience of rural women is Experience of rural women is complicated by particular structural, complicated by particular structural, cultural, and economic factors that cultural, and economic factors that differ from the urban experiencediffer from the urban experience• High poverty ratesHigh poverty rates• Jobs scarceJobs scarce• Services unavailable or inadequateServices unavailable or inadequate• Community (public) visibilityCommunity (public) visibility

2323

Structural FactorsStructural Factors Lack of Lack of

transportationtransportation Few sheltersFew shelters Resources limitedResources limited No place to go No place to go Housing distress Housing distress

2424

Cultural FactorsCultural Factors Strong cultural Strong cultural

norm of traditional norm of traditional family rolesfamily roles

Kinfolk might be Kinfolk might be willing but unable willing but unable to helpto help

Childhood violenceChildhood violence

2525

Economic FactorsEconomic Factors Decline in available jobsDecline in available jobs Only available work is Only available work is

service sector and low service sector and low wage, few benefitswage, few benefits

Lack of Healthcare and Lack of Healthcare and Health InsuranceHealth Insurance

Dependence upon social Dependence upon social provisioningprovisioning

Unprepared for job Unprepared for job marketmarket

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The Link Between Violence & The Link Between Violence & Welfare Welfare

Welfare is a valuable resource for Welfare is a valuable resource for women who are victims of family women who are victims of family violenceviolence

Past and current violence negatively Past and current violence negatively impacts readiness for the job market impacts readiness for the job market and the ability to maintain employmentand the ability to maintain employment

Rural location adds important Rural location adds important confounding influenceconfounding influence

2727

Policy IssuesPolicy Issues

Policy issues are many, broad, and Policy issues are many, broad, and complexcomplex

Policies and programs must address Policies and programs must address structural, community, family, and structural, community, family, and individual needsindividual needs

Examples:Examples:• Training for true economic self-sufficiency, e.g., Training for true economic self-sufficiency, e.g.,

living wagesliving wages• Conflict resolutionConflict resolution• Provision of child careProvision of child care• Integration into larger communityIntegration into larger community

Gender Relations, Housing Gender Relations, Housing Distress, and Persistent Poverty Distress, and Persistent Poverty

in Kentuckyin Kentucky

Joanna M. Badagliacco, Ph.D.Joanna M. Badagliacco, Ph.D.

Department of SociologyDepartment of SociologyCenter for Poverty ResearchCenter for Poverty Research

Appalachian Center Appalachian Center

University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky

jmb@uky.edujmb@uky.edu