The impact of housing on the lives of women and children post domestic violence crisis accommodation

• Taryn Champion, and others
• Urban Research Centre

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Image: Todd Lappin / Flickr

06 July 2009This research aimed to identify in general the impacts of housing on women and their children who experience domestic and family violence. The study investigated the quality and timeliness of appropriate housing provision and its link to women and children’s wellbeing. This study is based on interviews with 12 women who had exited a women’s refuge 6 months or more prior to the interviews. The twelve women ranged in age from 27 to 63 the most predominant age group was that of women in their 30’s, the women had 40 children between them.

In general the study shows that housing for women and children who experience domestic and family violence deteriorated significantly. The key concerns were the affordability, length of stay, the physical condition of the housing, the neighbourhood, safety and the availability of maintenance. In some situations the poor condition of the housing put them in a compromising situation with DoCS in terms of the environment they were able to offer their children. Most of the participants who experienced difficulties reported that they were scared to complain or felt that they did not have the right to ask for anything better.

The interviews revealed the lengthy and fragmented processes the women experienced when attempting to obtain safe, secure and affordable housing. The processes involved moving between various types of accommodation that lacked security of tenure and/or failed to provide a sense of safety. The lack of stability generated through constantly ‘moving places’ directly impacted on the women’s ability to attain a life free from violence.

Report produced by the Urban Research Centre, University of Western Sydney and the NSW Women’s Refuge Movement.