Women, Homelessness and Service Provision 55 Consistent with a number of studies that have examined homeless women’s service experiences and perceptions of services, a considerable number of the women in this research also reported negative encounters (Hutchinson et al., 2014; Sznajder-Murray and Slesnick, 2011). Women’s vulnerability within emergency hostels and their growing disillusionment with the predicament of living with transience and chaos emerged strongly from their accounts. Many also struggled with the control exerted over their lives by the rules and regulations dictating their movements, daily routines and their interactions with their children, in many cases. These kinds of experiences led to women feeling subservient within what they preceived to be authoritarian service environments. The themes of infantalisation and powerlessness (Hoffman and Coffey, 2008) emerged strongly from the women’s narratives and these experiences led women to feel a personal lack of control or ‘say’ in their lives and futures. A number of women, particluarly those who had accessed domestic violence services, frequently talked about feeling empowered to take control of their lives and supported to address long- standing issues. These women also appeared to experience a more linear route to stable housing as well as more immediate access to medium- and long-term housing options. It is important to note, however, that those women who accessed domestic violence services did not have substance use problems; indeed, women who had experienced domestic violence and were also struggling with a drug and/or alcohol addiction generally considered themselves to be ineligible for domestic violence service support. Research in Europe and North America has similarly noted that many women who experience homelessness because of domestic violence may be unable to access domestic violence services because of issues related to substance misuse, challenging behaviour and/or poor mental health (Baker et al., 2010; Pleace, 2008; Quilgars and Pleace, 2010). Service provider perspectives on the situations of women who experience homelessness suggest a strong awareness on their part of the extent and impact of gender-based violence on the lives of women who access homeless support services. Perhaps significantly, however, a considerable number of women suggested that homeless services were not adequately equipped to respond to the trauma resulting from gender-based violence. This perspective was in fact mirrored in much of the commentary on this topic from services providers who, in many cases, suggested that intense, targeted training was required if homeless (and other) services are to respond more appropriately and effectively to women who have experienced violence, often over prolonged periods. In keeping with the findings of Baker et al. (2010), the apparent dis-connect between homeless and domestic violence services runs the risk of classifying domestic violence and homelessness as distinct processes when, in fact, they are frequently inseparable in women’s lives. There is a need for greater collaboration and communication between homeless and domestic violence services in order to mitigate the negative social, economic and health consequences brought about by experiences of domestic violence and housing instability. Women’s Services Needs Various ‘layers’ of unmet need emerged from the women’s accounts. In terms of their first point of access to services, women were frequently traumatised and also reluctant to enter into the hostel system and this, in turn, tended to delay their contact with support services. As their homelessness progressed and patterns of housing instability were not resolved, a large number of women embarked on a cycle of moving between emergency service settings. This transience was disruptive and women sometimes found themselves with no option but to access services where they felt vulnerable and unsafe. A considerable number of the women were critical of the lack of women- only services, explaining that mixed-gender settings were not suited to individuals who have experienced domestic or other forms of gender-based violence. This issue was also raised by service providers who, in many cases, expressed concern about women who have no option but to
Women, Homelessness and Service Provision
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