Fleeing abuse: Why domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women
Commentary by Angela Amos | FāVS News
A survivor of domestic violence (DV) at the Women’s Hearth said that fleeing their abuser was like escaping a burning house, except the fire comes after you every day.
I had permission to share this, but, as you can imagine, the speaker wanted to remain anonymous. Let’s sit with that for a bit. The fear, the urgency, the constant, consistent nature of the situation.
Now imagine there is nowhere to go.
There are many roads that lead to being unsheltered/unhoused/homeless. For women, domestic violence is the number one cause of homelessness in the U.S.
Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse and intimate partner violence, can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner in a dating or family relationship. Abuse includes physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person.
This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone. Incidents are not isolated events and escalate in frequency and severity.
Domestic abuse may culminate in serious physical injury or death.
Victims of domestic abuse are not often forthcoming. There is so much shame for the victim, as well as fear of the abuser finding out. A person experiencing domestic abuse may feel like everything is their fault, and they are walking on eggshells waiting for something to happen. Since victims may not come forward easily, knowing the signs are useful.
Signs of domestic violence
Hallmarks of DV include:
- Frequently missing work
- A significant change in appearance
- Behaving differently, like fearful or less confident, when their partner is around
- Frequent cancelation of plans with you
- Spending less time with you
- If they are out with you, they may receive constant texts or calls from their partner while they are with you and may need to leave suddenly
- They may be taking more time off sick from work than usual
- They may be more tearful, angry, anxious, confused and feeling low
- They may have physical injuries
- They may give excuses for frequent injuries
- They may be using different ways to cope with the abuse (e.g. increased alcohol or drug use)
- They blame themselves for the abuse and feel it is their fault
- The person has said their partner is jealous and controlling
- They are not visiting you or their friends or coming to the usual planned family gatherings or work events they would normally attend
- They are always picked up and dropped off wherever they go, and the partner gets angry if the person is late
- They do not call you or they do not call you as much as they used to and there is not an obvious reason
- They must ‘check in’ with their partner at specific times
- They are not using social media (e.g. Facebook) as often as they would do normally and they don’t give a reason why
Effects of domestic violence
Abuse affects victims in a myriad of ways. The notable ones include:
- Fired for missing work
- Kicked out of housing due to the violence under the “no crime tolerance,” even if they are not the perpetrator
- No credit in one’s name because the abuser does not allow it
- Lack of affordable housing options
- Lack of safe affordable housing options
- Lack of sleep from being on high alert, which can exacerbate mental illnesses
- The creation of PTSD/C-PTSD from all their trauma
The abuser also destroys a victim’s support system by cutting them off from friends and family, ensuring they have no one to turn to for help. This means their safety net is gone or that support system, which may have offered a safe place to stay or financial help. The abuser ensures there is no one else for the victim.
All leading up to homelessness
So how does this impact housing and homelessness specifically? I will share a common scenario with you.
There are often only small windows of time in which one can escape the abuser. Often, what is taken is what can be carried on the run. The abuser controls the finances, the friendships, the community connections and the way the abused is seen by others.
Where can this person flee? Where do they go?
They are cut off from their friends and families. They are cut off from finances. If they use a debit or credit card, the charges are traced. If financial abuse is present, the victim does not have a credit score, which creates a barrier for rental applications.
In 2005, Congress documented almost 150 “eviction cases in the previous year where the tenant was evicted because of the domestic violence crimes committed against her,” and nearly 100 persons were “denied housing because of their status as victims of domestic violence.”
According to the ACLU, there is a significant lack of domestic violence shelters in the states, and, when they do not exist, the consequences are dire. These include homelessness, serious losses, including children, continued abuse and death.
Further, “in ’10, emergency domestic violence shelters were unable to meet 172,000 requests for shelter due to lack of capacity. The number of unmet requests for shelter has seen a steady increase since 2007 due to programs being at capacity.”
Those numbers continue to worsen
Survivors who require assistance with housing, encounter long wait times, lack of openings, scarcity of affordable housing options and administrative delays. For example, in one day in 2022, 1,642 domestic violence programs were unable to meet over 6,748 requests made for housing services. At Transitions, our Temporary Living Center has to turn away five out of six families, due to lack of capacity and funds. On average, it takes a homeless family six to 10 months to secure housing.
Yes, the statistics are staggering. Gleaned from the ACLU, American Bar Association and the National Network to End Domestic Violence, at least “57% of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness.” Additionally, 38% of all victims of domestic violence become homeless at some point in their lives.
A victim of domestic violence will often leave an abuser multiple times before finally escaping the violence, therefore, experiencing multiple periods of homelessness. Over 90% of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse at some point in their lives, and 63% have been victims of intimate partner violence as adults.
In a 2006 report by the U. S. Conference of Mayors, 44% of the cities surveyed identified domestic violence as the primary cause of homelessness. And the statistics are highest for Indigenous, BIPOC women and women with disabilities.
Closer to home, of the Women’s Hearth participants that choose to answer if they have ever experienced domestic violence, all who answer say yes. Most of our population are unhoused and nearly all have experienced homelessness in their lives.
High DV rates in Spokane
Spokane has higher instances of domestic violence reported than the rest of Washington. In 2021, Spokane County recorded $12 million in hospital charges related to DV events.
Homelessness is a hot topic in Spokane and nationwide. In my work, I talk about homelessness often. I think about it constantly. I write about it frequently. Of course it is easier to blame people for their circumstances.
If we did not, we could not hide from the pain and deep trauma our society causes. We could avoid facing our part in the problem if we believe it is solely the fault of the one suffering.
But domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can occur within a range of relationships including couples who are married, living together, or dating.
Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. And those victimized by domestic abuse may also include a child or other relative, or any other household member.
We can do better for victims of domestic violence. The ACLU lists “avenues for economic stability (i.e. job protections, benefits, fair pay, childcare, tax credits, individual development accounts, etc.); confidentiality protections for survivors accessing housing/homelessness services and supports; funding for safe, affordable housing and shelters; and strong protections against discrimination in housing and policies that promote transfers to safe housing” as a way forward.
Let’s work with survivors of domestic violence and create these avenues. A better world is possible. Let’s make it together.
Reach out to Transitions’ community partner the YWCA and MiA for opportunities to get involved.
Help is available:
If you or someone you know is impacted by intimate partner domestic violence, 24-hour help is available.
YWCA Spokane Domestic Violence Hotline:
- Call: 509-326-2255
- [email protected]
- Text: 509-220-3725
National Domestic Violence Hotline:
- Call: 800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Text “START” to 88788
- Or chat live online.
The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.
