Domestic violence among the low income couples who would be targeted for the healthy marriage initiative is very rare.In fact, only 2 percent experience domestic violence.Critics of the healthy marriage initiative often cite
statistics showing that a high percent of middle - aged welfare mothers have suffered domestic violence at some point in the past.These figures are irrelevant for two reasons.First, the healthy marriage initiative will focus on younger women
around the time of a child's
birth, not older mothers with a long history of welfare dependence.The domestic violence rates are very different for these two groups.Second, the fact a woman has experienced domestic violence in the past does not mean she is experiencing violence in a current relationship, or that most prior relationships have involved violence.