“Every Time I Try to Get Out, I Get Pushed Back”: The Role of Violent Victimization in Women’s Experience of Multiple Episodes of Homelessness

Abstract

Research shows that, for most people, homelessness is not a chronic state that one enters and never leaves. Instead, homelessness tends to be dynamic, with individuals cycling in and out of multiple periods of homelessness throughout their lives. Despite this recognition, and a wealth of research on the causes of homelessness, generally, there is a lack of scholarship on the pathways to multiple episodes of homelessness. In particular, the relationship between violent victimization and women's likelihood of being homeless multiple times is largely unexplored. Drawing on data collected from 269 structured interviews conducted with women using the services of homeless shelters and/or transitional housing in three U.S. and two U.K. cities, we use multivariate logistic regression to assess whether violent victimization increases women's likelihood of experiencing multiple episodes of homelessness. Our results show that adult victims of stranger-perpetrated physical assault are significantly more likely to be homeless on multiple occasions. In addition, those who experience multiple forms of victimization (e.g., physical and sexual abuse) in childhood, adulthood, and/or across the life course are significantly more likely to experience multiple episodes of homelessness. Given recent efforts to eradicate homelessness, our results suggest specific vulnerable groups that may benefit from targeted social and policy interventions.

A qualitative exploration of women's resilience in the face of homelessness

“…Research reports that for women, trauma histories often create conditions that remove the option for remaining at home and are often the main catalyst for the women becoming homeless (Levine & Fritz, 2016;Metraux & Culhane, 2016). However, unlike much of the existing research that positions women as victims of violence, abuse and physical and mental ill-health (Broll & Huey, 2020;Hudson et al, 2010;Larney et al, 2009), this study indicated that even when facing homelessness women exit these situations with a sense of hope for a better future.…”

“…In this study, a person was considered homeless if their living arrangement was in a dwelling that was inadequate; or had no tenure, or if their initial tenure was short and not extendable; or did not allow them to have control of and access to space for social relations (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014). Homelessness was, therefore, understood as social justice, health and economic issue that has a detrimental impact on all areas of people's lives (Broll & Huey, 2020; Homelessness Australia, https://www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au/index.php/about-homelessness/ homeless-statistics). In this paper, a strengths-based lens is used to address the research aim of examining women's experiential perspective of becoming and being homeless.…”

Non-beverage alcohol consumption among individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in Edmonton, Canada: a cross-sectional study

“…Individuals who consume NBA are disproportionately barred from shelters, clinics, housing projects, community centres, grocery stores and even public spaces, becoming arguably the most street entrenched demographic in the inner city. The high prevalence of aggression and violence associated with homelessness reported in this study and in the literature further the stigma and widen the gap in care and from the community [ 45 – 48 ]. Though heavy drinking and intoxication have also been associated with violence and aggression, people who self-identify as consumers of NBA have linked much of this violence to exploitation and lack of access to housing, since individuals who become overly intoxicated or pass out alone in public are taken advantage of and are at risk of theft and sexual assault [ 9 , 49 , 50 ].…”

Women in a situation of homelessness and violence: a single-case study using the photo-elicitation technique

“…In addition, we see how Maria has been in and out of homelessness at different times in her life. In line with this, Broll and Huey [ 34 ] conclude that homelessness tends to be cyclical, with women entering and leaving this situation. The results of the monitoring of a cohort of 269 homeless women suggest that this trend is greater among women who have experienced multiple forms of violence (e.g.…”

“…A number of studies report the role of structural and interpersonal gender-based violence in the trajectories of homeless women [ 10 – 12 ] and the relevance of gender-based violence in their pathways to homelessness. Understanding and looking deeper into biographies shaped by violence and the effects of said violence on the different aspects of the individual is thus extremely relevant and necessary for the design of policies and strategies to be able to meet demands for care.…”