The impact of divorce, battering, and other family disruptions in combination with economic insecurity and primary responsibility for their children lead many women towards homelessness. It is believed that half of all homeless women have been a victim of some form of domestic violence, based on self-reporting and observations of various programs staffers. (National Research Council, 1996). However, the numbers of homeless domestic violence victims may be underestimated because some victims are reluctant to self-report. Homeless women seldom view their abuse as their primary problem and may not reveal that they are victims. In some cases, if a woman reports that she is a victim of domestic violence, a homeless shelter may refuse to accept her for security reasons. Most shelters do not offer services to women unless they conform to the criteria that distinctly makes them part of the particular group the shelter program targets. Programs can be specifically geared towards battered, homeless women and have been a great success in dealing with the emotions of the situation.
Much of the writing and public discuss on domestic violence suggests that a woman who escapes a violent relationship is almost always in serious physical danger, and therefore needs a shelter of some sort to escape from a mate who will eventually harm her again repeatedly. An interesting article titled " Homeless women blame domestic violence" in a United Kingdom newspaper gave some chilling facts about domestic abuse and its repercussions. .
- A report by the charity Crisis found that 63% of homeless women aged between 30 and 49 in the United Kingdom said that domestic violence was the key reason they had lost their homes.
- A survey done by Crisis found that the older in age British women became, the least likely they were to know where to go for help once they became homeless.
- In the early 90's, women used to make up only 10% of homeless community, and in 1999 they now made up for 37% of the same homeless community.
