"Where am I going to go Tonight? Where am I literally going to go?": Exploring the Dynamics of Domestic Violence and Family Homelessness

PurposeDomestic violence is a pervasive global social problem, as is the challenge of family homelessness. While there is compelling evidence that large numbers of women and families who experience homelessness report experiences of abuse and violence, understanding of the relationship between domestic violence and family homelessness remains weak.MethodConducted in Ireland, the research aimed to examine the intersection of domestic violence and family homelessness by triangulating the views of stakeholders with the lived experience of parents who left their homes because of domestic abuse. Drawing on data garnered from the conduct of in-depth interviews with 17 parents, this paper examines their accommodation trajectories post-leaving home, underpinned by the broader aim of exploring the dynamics of domestic violence and family homelessness.ResultsParents reported numerous moves subsequent to leaving their homes and their accommodation paths, which spanned many months or a number of years in some cases, were unpredictable. Thematic analysis uncovered key three drivers of their accommodation trajectories: 1) the hiddenness of families subsequent to leaving an abusive home; 2) service system blockages and; 3) housing market conditions and the search for housing security. The dominant experience for families can be characterized as complicated, uncertain and daunting owing to the absence of a path through which they could transition from crisis or intermediate accommodation to secure housing.ConclusionThe paper concludes by considering the implications of the findings for policy and service responses to families who leave their homes because of domestic violence.