Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a prevalent issue among women and families with children experiencing homelessness. Among those families currently experiencing homelessness, more than 80 percent had previously experienced domestic violence. Domestic violence often includes exertion of financial control, which leaves women with reduced resources and poor credit. When fleeing violence and abuse, victims are unable to find safe affordable housing because of their lack of resources.
Depending upon the region, between 22% and 57% of women experiencing homelessness report that domestic or sexual violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness. - National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
Domestic violence advocates and social services providers are vital allies in the coordinated strategy to prevent and end homelessness. Emergency shelters for victims of domestic violence often serve as the first stop to escape the immediate danger of abuse, but stays are often limited to 90 days to maintain beds for those in immediate danger. The task now is to work with public housing authorities under the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 to ensure that victims of domestic abuse receive priority if their situation necessitates, and also to ensure that victims are not denied a home based on their past abuse. Opening Doors focuses on this issue as part of its initiative in ending family homelessness by 2020, specifically in its strategy to eliminate administrative barriers to federally-funding housing assistance for those most in need of services. Working together to understand the immediate and long-term needs of domestic violence victims, we can end the cycle of violence and ensure that victims remain on a path to stability.
If you are someone you know is in need of assistance please call the domestic violence hotline: 1.800.799.7233
The resources below are relevant or pertain particularly to those experiencing homelessness who are victims of domestic violence.
Programs
Child Support Enforcement Program
The Child Support Enforcement (CSE) program is a federal, state, tribal and local partnership to promote family self-sufficiency and ...
Family Violence Prevention and Services Act
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) provides the primary federal funding stream dedicated to the support of ...
Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence
The Transitional Housing Assistance Grants support programs that serve individuals experiencing homelessness and their children who ...
Related Research
The Experience of Violence in the Lives of Homeless Women: A Research Report
Jana L. Jasinski, Jennifer K. Wesely, Elizabeth Mustaine, and James D. Wright November 2005 Studies investigating the experience ...
