Socioeconomic status and geographical rural settings' contribution to oppression of women with disabilities who experience gender violence

Women with disabilities, like all women, exist as part of a complex and intersectional ecological context. Their experiences, including their experiences of IPV, are both influenced by and influence their environments. Socioeconomic status, particularly low socioeconomic status, and geography, particularly rurality, are two such environmental factors that should be considered when working with women with disabilities who have experienced IPV. Low SES and rurality intersect with disability to create conditions that may make it more difficult for women with disabilities to disclose, leave, and cope with violent relationships and their effects. Mental health professionals should take into account the potential barriers created by these issues when working with clients with disabilities and help clients to develop culturally sensitive plans that account for and address these barriers.