Overlap of Domestic Violence and Homelessness Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness for women and children. Among U.S. city mayors surveyed in 2005, 50% identified intimate partner violence as a primary cause of homelessness in their city. In the HUD 2012 Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program Point-in-Time Count, the largest subpopulation of homeless persons in Washington State was victims of domestic violence. (Each jurisdiction’s housing and homelessness services that are funded by McKinney-Vento make up a Continuum of Care. Larger counties have their own Continuum of Care; smaller counties are usually included in a “balance of state” (or statewide) Continuum of Care.) Domestic violence and homelessness are likely to occur together and can increase the need for resources and services, especially housing. The 2010 Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness includes a citation from the National Center for Children in Poverty that indicates that “among For many of these survivors, poverty and trauma combined to create a downward spiral of homelessness, too frequently accompanied by mental health and chemical dependency issues. DVHF Housing: Safety, Stability, and Dignity for Survivors of Domestic Violence June 2013 8 mothers with children experiencing homelessness, more than 80 percent had previously experienced domestic violence.” By the early 1990s, domestic violence shelters were at capacity, and many urban shelters had high turn-away rates. This situation continued into the new century, until the economic recession in 2008 exacerbated the crisis of limited bed space. DV agencies were forced to develop triage systems to ensure that women in the greatest danger were prioritized for shelter space. Women who had not recently fled their abusers and did not appear to have immediate safety needs were often seen as simply homeless—even if the homelessness was a result of domestic violence. For many of these survivors, poverty and trauma combined to create a downward spiral of homelessness, too frequently accompanied by mental healthand chemical dependency issues.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 05:16:11 +0000
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