The leading cause of homelessness in the United States for women and children is due to domestic violence. Victims who are abused tend to think that there is no way out of their present situation, because they are so dependent on their partner. They have often relied on their spouse for everything, and they find themselves in a situation in which they do not have adequate resources. Affordable housing is one of the main challenges that they face in escaping the abuse (Black et al. 10). Women's shelters need to be provided where victims can go to obtain a place of safety from their abusers. An appropriate shelter should have space for mothers, along with their children, and essential living needs such as food and childcare provided. Having access to and maintaining housing is essential to helping survivors of domestic violence. Housing shelters regularly provide initial assistance for victims, and they often provide the resource to help victims escape from their abusers. The Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA) protects individuals living in federally subsidized housing (Tiesman et al. 23). However, survivors of domestic violence who do not live in federally subsidized housing are not covered by VAWA. Additional federal and state fair housing laws need to be enacted to protect these victims. The length of time that victims can stay in a housing shelter is limited, so victims need various housing services such as protective short-term housing, long-term housing, and rental subsidy assistance while they are regaining control over their new life. Government funds should be allocated to a variety of housing programs, so that victims of domestic violence can overcome the life-threatening situations that many find themselves in. .
Domestic violence is an extremely traumatizing experience, and the emotional scars associated with this abuse can often outlast the physical impact. Domestic violence survivors are at a high risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or stress-related mental health conditions.