OFA Webinar: Leveraging TANF to Improve Outcomes for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

Up to 74% of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants report recent experiences of domestic violence, compared to 30% of the general population, according to 2013 data. Survivors are often isolated from family, friends, and financial resources as a result of a perpetrator’s tactics to maximize the survivor’s level of dependency on them and decrease the likelihood that the survivor can gain self-sufficiency. TANF and other public assistance programs have a unique opportunity to provide necessary financial assistance and access to critical resources that can help survivors and their children move toward greater independence and self-sufficiency. In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, this facilitated webinar shared key findings about the economic toll intimate partner violence takes on survivors, and strategies for best supporting survivors who are accessing public assistance programs. This webinar took place on October 31 between 1:00 and 2:30 p.m. EDT.