My research is academic. I don't work with vulnerable women one on one.
What we notice, when people talk to us about cases or when we look at cases, is that there could be a dynamic of dependency, especially with an older woman who's not the primary breadwinner and doesn't actually have control over the finances. Becoming independent of an abuser becomes challenged by that kind of financial interdependence.
I think also this issue depends on the generations that you look at. We need to be mindful that women's financial independence and savvy and capacity depend on the generation you look at and the community you're looking at.
So it's kind of hard to generalize. We do know, however, that poverty significantly undermines a woman's ability to make choices when she's trying to get out of an abusive situation. Money often equals options. Money sometimes also goes hand in hand with knowledge of options as well, such as access to resources.
Does that answer your question?