Domestic violence and homelessness are closely connected problems in our society. Domestic violence involves patterns of control and power that can cause housing instability and sometimes lead to homelessness for victims and their families.
About one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, and 1.3 million women are victims of domestic violence each year.
How Domestic Violence Affects Housing Stability
For victims of domestic violence, the risk of becoming homeless is alarmingly high. Abusers often exert control by withholding money, sabotaging jobs, or physically forcing their victims out of their homes.
Trapped in fear and isolation, many survivors find themselves with nowhere to turn, struggling to secure stable housing while carrying the emotional and financial scars of abuse. The obstacles they face include:
1) Trauma from the abuse: The emotional and psychological effects of domestic violence can make it difficult for survivors to function in daily life.
Many experience depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These mental health challenges can make it hard to complete housing applications, attend appointments, or maintain employment needed for housing stability.
Sleep problems, flashbacks, and hypervigilance can all interfere with a survivor’s ability to secure and maintain housing.
2) Lack of financial resources: Abusers often control all household finances to maintain power. That’s why many survivors leave with little or no money, damaged credit scores, and limited work history if they weren’t allowed to work.
Some abusers deliberately run up debt in the survivor’s name or force them to sign financial documents that later cause problems. Without financial resources, survivors struggle to pay security deposits, the first month’s rent, and ongoing housing costs.
3) Limited support networks: Abusers systematically isolate their victims, cutting them off from friends, family, and any potential support system.
When the survivor eventually escapes, they are often completely alone—without a safe place to stay, no emotional support, and no financial help.
With no one to vouch for them, securing stable housing becomes nearly extremely difficult; they may lack rental references, struggle to afford deposits, or not even know where to turn for help.
This forced isolation, combined with the urgent need for safety, makes finding secure and affordable housing an overwhelming battle in the aftermath of abuse.
The Cycle of Abuse and Eviction
Abuse can lead to housing problems in several ways:
1) Forced displacement from homes: Many survivors are violently and deliberately forced from their homes by abusers who change locks, issue threats, or make the living environment unbearably unsafe.
Some abusers go even further—destroying property, shutting off electricity and water, or bringing dangerous individuals into the home to terrorize the survivor into leaving.
Even when survivors have legal rights to stay, abusers may refuse to leave, defying protective orders and forcing them to flee for their safety. Stripped of security and stability, survivors often have no choice but to start over with nowhere to go.
2) Financial instability: Domestic violence often traps survivors in a devastating cycle of financial hardship, making stable housing feel out of reach.
Abusers may sabotage job opportunities—causing victims to miss interviews, forcing them to call out sick due to injuries, or even showing up at workplaces, causing scenes that lead to job loss.
The financial toll doesn’t end there. Survivors often face mounting medical bills from abuse-related injuries, crushing legal fees from divorce or custody battles, and the overwhelming cost of replacing essential items they left behind when fleeing for their lives.
With their finances shattered and options limited, securing a safe and stable home becomes an uphill battle.
3) Eviction due to issues caused by the abuser: Property damage during violent incidents, noise complaints from fights or calls to police, and unpaid rent when abusers control or steal money can all lead to eviction.
Even when the survivor isn’t at fault, these issues create an eviction record that makes finding new housing extremely difficult. Some localities have “nuisance ordinances” that penalize properties with multiple police calls, inadvertently punishing survivors when they seek help during violent incidents.
When domestic violence occurs in rental housing, it can result in missed rent payments, property damage, or lease violations. Landlords may not understand the situation or might worry about liability, leading them to evict tenants without recognizing the underlying cause.
To break this cycle, we need to educate landlords about domestic violence, provide legal assistance to survivors facing eviction, and create more affordable housing options.
Real Stories: From Home to Homelessness
The experiences of survivors show how deeply domestic violence affects housing stability:
- Sarah, a single mother with two children, endured years of physical and emotional abuse. When she finally left, she had no money and her credit was damaged by her abuser’s financial control. Fearing for her safety, she went to a domestic violence shelter with an uncertain future ahead.
- Maria, an immigrant woman with limited English skills, faced cultural barriers and isolation when seeking help. With no support network and fear of deportation, she felt trapped in her abusive relationship, leading to constant risk of homelessness.
Barriers to Safe Housing for Survivors
Legal Challenges and Restraining Orders
Restraining orders are essential for protection, but they can create housing complications:
- Some landlords are reluctant to rent to people with restraining orders due to misconceptions about liability
- Obtaining and enforcing restraining orders can be confusing and difficult
- Survivors often lack adequate legal assistance to understand their rights
The Department of Justice offers resources, but many survivors need additional help to access and use these options.
Housing Resources and Support Programs
Domestic violence shelters offer immediate safety but are not designed for long-term living. They typically connect survivors with resources for stable housing, including transitional housing programs or affordable housing options. Survivors can also access support groups and legal aid organizations for guidance and assistance.
Government programs provide crucial support for housing stability:
| Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) | Provides rental help to low-income families, including survivors of domestic violence. |
| Continuum of Care (CoC) Program | Offers flexible funding to communities for various housing and support services, including shelters and transitional housing for domestic violence. |
Resources Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides important protections and services for people affected by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
This federal law ensures survivors have access to legal assistance, support services, and emergency shelter.
Many survivors don’t know about these protections or are confused about eligibility requirements. Local organizations and legal aid groups can help survivors understand and access these resources.
Measuring Homelessness Among Survivors
The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is a critical tool for understanding homelessness among domestic violence survivors. Required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), this count takes place annually during the last week of January.
Trained volunteers and outreach workers count people experiencing homelessness in shelters, transitional housing, and unsheltered locations nationwide.
The PIT Count is especially valuable for understanding domestic violence and homelessness because:
- It explicitly asks individuals about domestic violence experiences, capturing data that might otherwise remain hidden
- It provides a consistent methodology across different regions, allowing for comparison of trends and patterns
- It helps identify “hidden” homeless populations, such as survivors who may be staying temporarily with friends or in motels
- It collects demographic information that reveals which groups are most vulnerable to housing instability after experiencing abuse
- It documents the number of families with children who are homeless due to domestic violence
The data collected during the PIT Count directly influences local, state, and federal funding decisions.
When higher numbers of domestic violence survivors are documented, communities can advocate for increased resources targeted to this population. Program developers use this information to design services that address the specific needs identified through the count.
Without the PIT Count, many survivors would remain statistically invisible, making it difficult to demonstrate the true scope of how domestic violence contributes to homelessness.
By systematically documenting these connections, advocates can show policymakers concrete evidence of the need for both affordable housing and domestic violence services.
Communities that invest in thorough and accurate PIT Counts are better positioned to develop effective interventions that help survivors find safety, stability, and long-term housing solutions.
How Communities Can Help
Communities play a vital role in supporting survivors:
- Increase affordable housing options specifically for domestic violence survivors
- Provide flexible funding for emergency needs and support services
- Raise awareness about the connection between domestic violence and homelessness
- Create partnerships between housing providers, domestic violence services, and legal aid
Working together, we can create a network of support that helps survivors find safety and rebuild their lives. Collaboration between local organizations, government agencies, and community members is essential to creating lasting solutions.
Conclusion
Domestic violence creates serious housing challenges for survivors. By providing empathy, support, and advocacy for policy changes, we can help break this cycle of abuse and homelessness.
Every community has the power to make a difference by offering safe housing options and connecting survivors with resources. Together, we can fight for the rights of survivors and help them rebuild their lives.
