This compelling documentary examines the economic realities of women's lives after marriage breakdown. After years of being battered, Joan Thompson leaves her abusive husband and tries to make a new life for herself. Through her story, we experience one woman's day-to-day struggle for economic and psychological survival. Her story is amplified by the women in her support group who contribute their own experiences as wives and single mothers. The film highlights the need for sweeping changes in our laws and social institutions if women are to exercise a choice over the shape of their future.