Female-headed households, which are five times more likely to be poor, have more than doubled since 1955. Women, especially women of color, have lower median incomes than men. It is therefore not surprising that women and children are the fastest growing segment of the nation's homeless population. The number of women and children seeking the protection of domestic shelters has also increased substantially. Nationwide, there are four times more shelters for animals than there are for beaten women.
Women face obstacles on other fronts as well.
The infusion of women into the workforce has greatly increased the need for child care. The number of women working full-time with children age six or younger nearly tripled between 1960 and 1984. In addition, more and more women are caring for aging family members. Today, American women spend 17 years of their lives caring for children and 18 years caring for aging and ill relatives. Copyright 1995, The Feminist Majority Foundation and New Media Publishing Inc.