Skip to main content

‘There’s Just All These Moving Parts:’ Helping Domestic Violence Survivors Obtain Housing

Clinical Social Work Journal volume 47, pages 198–206 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most common and devastating forms of violence occurring worldwide. Being victimized by an intimate partner or ex-partner can lead to numerous negative consequences for survivors and their children, including physical and mental health problems as well as housing instability and financial devastation. IPV is a leading cause of homelessness, and helping IPV survivors obtain affordable housing is a growing focus of staff working within domestic violence victim service programs. Unfortunately, in this time of decreasing resources, funders are expecting programs to serve an increasing number of survivors, putting advocates in the precarious position of feeling that they lack the time to provide the effort needed to adequately serve survivors with multiple needs. The purpose of this study was to better understand the complexities involved in helping IPV survivors obtain safe and stable housing, and reflect on the importance of integrating critical reflection, intersectionality, and key principles of social work practice into this important work. In-depth interviews with 11 advocates illustrated how time-consuming and complicated it can be to successfully house IPV survivors. Themes focused on: (1) the need to understand and continually address safety; (2) the need to understand and continually address trauma; (3) the importance of community connections; (4) the time-consuming nature of system factors; and (5) the importance of addressing multiple, interrelated issues and not just housing. Policy implications are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (Canada)

References

  • Adams, A. E., Bybee, D., Tolman, R. M., Sullivan, C. M., & Kennedy, A. C. (2013). Does job stability mediate the relationship between intimate partner violence and mental health among low-income women? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 83, 600–608.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, A. E., Sullivan, C. M., Bybee, D., & Greeson, M. (2008). Development of the scale of economic abuse. Violence Against Women, 14, 563–588.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, A. E., Tolman, R. M., Bybee, D., Sullivan, C. M., & Kennedy, A. C. (2012). The impact of intimate partner violence on low-income women’s economic well-being: The mediating role of job stability. Violence Against Women, 18, 1345–1367.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Albanese, T. (2010). Performance measurement of homeless systems. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from http://westernmasshousingfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/PerfMeasurementHomelessSystems_Presentation.pdf.

  • Baker, C., Billhardt, K., Warren, J., Rollins, C., & Glass, N. E. (2010). Domestic violence, housing instability and homelessness: A review of housing policies and program practices for meeting the needs of survivors. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15, 430–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beeble, M. A., Bybee, D., & Sullivan, C. M. (2010). The impact of resource constraints on the psychological well-being of survivors of intimate partner violence over time. Journal of Community Psychology, 38, 943–959.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beydoun, H. A., Beydoun, M. A., Kaufman, J. S., Lo, B., & Zonderman, A. B. (2012). Intimate partner violence against adult women and its association with major depressive disorder, depressive symptoms and postpartum depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 75, 959–975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, B. M., Weisz, A. N., & Bennett, L. W. (2010). Graduating social work students’ perspectives on domestic violence. Affilia, 25, 173–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, C. J. (2003). Translating principles into practice: Implementing the feminist and strengths perspectives in work with battered women. Affilia, 18, 332–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., … Stevens, M. R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 summary report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bride, B. E. (2007). Prevalence of secondary traumatic stress among social workers. Social work, 52, 63–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. C., Glass, N., Sharps, P. W., & Bloom, T. (2007). Intimate partner homicide: Review and implications of research and policy. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 8, 246–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cattaneo, L. B., & Goodman, L. A. (2015). What is empowerment anyway? A model for domestic violence practice, research, and evaluation. Psychology of Violence, 5, 84–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coker, A. L., Davis, K. E., Arias, I., Desai, S., Sanderson, M., & Brandt, H. M. (2002). Physical and mental health effects of intimate partner violence for men and women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 23, 260–268.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43, 1241–1299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunradi, C., Caetano, R., & Schafer, J. (2002). Alcohol-related problems, drug use, and male intimate partner violence severeity among U.S. couples. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 26, 493–500.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Danis, F. (2004). Factors that influence domestic violence practice self-efficacy: Implications for social work. Advances in Social Work, 5, 150–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davies, J., & Lyon, E. (2014). Domestic violence advocacy: Complex lives/difficult choices. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • DiNitto, D. M., & Johnson, D. H. (2015). Social welfare: Politics and public policy. London: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming, P. J., McCleary-Sills, J., Morton, M., Levtov, R., Heilman, B., & Barker, G. (2015). Risk factors for men’s lifetime perpetration of physical violence against intimate partners: Results from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) in eight countries. PLoS ONE, 10, e0118639.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fleury, R. E., Sullivan, C. M., & Bybee, D. I. (2000). When ending the relationship doesn’t end the violence: Women’s experiences of violence by former partners. Violence Against Women, 6, 1363–1383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ford-Gilboe, M., Wuest, J., Varcoe, C., Davies, L., Merritt-Gray, M., Campbell, J., et al. (2009). Modeling the effects of intimate partner violence and access to resources on women’s health in the early years after leaving an abusive partner. Social Science & Medicine, 68, 1021–1029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, D. N., & Faulkner, M. (2011). Interventions targeting substance abuse among women survivors of intimate partner abuse: A meta-analysis. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 41, 386–398.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, L. A., & Epstein, D. (2008). Listening to battered women: A survivor-centered approach to advocacy, mental health, and justice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, L. A., Fauci, J. E., Sullivan, C. M., DiGiovanni, C. D., & Wilson, J. M. (2016a). Pathways to empowerment and mental health for intimate partner violence survivors: The role of the alliance with advocates. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 86, 286–296.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, L. A., Sullivan, C. M., Serrata, J., Perilla, J., Wilson, J. M., Fauci, J. E., & DiGiovanni, C. D. (2016b). Development and validation of the trauma informed practice scales. Journal of Community Psychology, 44, 747–764.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, L. A., Thomas, K., Cattaneo, L. B., Heimel, D., Woulfe, J., & Chong, S. K. (2016c). Survivor-defined practice in domestic violence work: Measure development and preliminary evidence of link to empowerment. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31, 163–185.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gutiérrez, L. M., & Lewis, E. A. (1999). Empowering women of color. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, S. A., & Postmus, J. L. (2014). Economic empowerment of impoverished IPV survivors: A review of best practice literature and implications for policy. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15, 79–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawker, S., & Kerr, C. (2007). Doing grounded theory. In E. Lyons & A. Coyle (Eds.), Analysing qualitative data in psychology (pp. 87–97). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jasinski, J. L., Wesely, J. K., Mustaine, E., & Wright, J. D. (2002). The experience of violence in the lives of homeless women: A research project. Washington, DC: Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joint Center for Housing Studies, of Harvard University. (2013). The State of the Nation’s Housing 2013. Cambridge, MA: Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khanna, M., Singh, N. N., Nemil, M., Best, A., & Ellis, C. R. (1992). Homeless women and their families: Characteristics, life circumstances, and needs. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1, 155–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacey, K. K., McPherson, M. D., Samuel, P. S., Sears, K. P., & Head, D. (2013). The impact of different types of intimate partner violence on the mental and physical health of women in different ethnic groups. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28, 359–385.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LeGeros, M., & Savage Borne, J. (2014). Building bridges: Training social work students in domestic violence work. Field Educator: Simmons School of Social Work, 2, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martino, S. C., Collins, R. L., & Ellickson, P. L. (2005). Cross-lagged relationships between substance use and intimate partner violence among a sample of young adult women. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 66, 139–148.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mattsson, T. (2014). Intersectionality as a useful tool: Anti-oppressive social work and critical reflection. Affilia, 29, 8–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGirr, S., & Sullivan, C. M. (2016). Critical consciousness-raising as an element of empowering practice with survivors of domestic violence. Journal of Social Service Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2016.1212777.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nathanson, A. M., Shorey, R. C., Tirone, V., & Rhatigan, D. L. (2012). The prevalence of mental health disorders in a community sample of female victims of intimate partner violence. Partner Abuse, 3, 59–75.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2015). The state of homelessness in America 2015. Washington, DC: National Alliance to End Homelessness. Retrieved from http://endhomeless-ness.org/library/entry/the-state-of-homelessness-in-america-2015.

  • National Fair Housing Alliance. (2015). Where you live matters: 2015 fair housing trends report. Washington, DC: National Fair Housing Alliance. Retrieved August 28, 2016 from https://www.nationalfairhousing.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=SYWmBgwpazA%3d&tabid=3917&mid=5321.

  • National Housing Law Project (2014). VAWA 2013 continues vital housing protections for survivors and provides new safeguards. Washington, DC: National Housing Law Project. Retrieved December 31, 2017 from http://nhlp.org/files/VAWA-2013-Bulletin-Article-Jan-2014-updated.pdf.

  • National Low Income Housing Coalition. (2016). Out of reach 2016: No refuge for low income renters. Washington, DC: National Low Income Housing Coalition. Retrieved February 12, 2017 from http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/OOR_2016.pdf.

  • Pavao, J., Alvarez, J., Baumrind, N., Induni, M., & Kimerling, R. (2007). Intimate partner violence and housing instability. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 32, 143 – 146.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proctor, B. D., Semega, J. L., & Kollar, M. A. (2016). Income and poverty in the United States: 2015. U.S. census bureau, current population reports, P60-256(RV). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radford, L., Corral, S., Bradley, C., & Fisher, H. L. (2013). The prevalence and impact of childmaltreatment and other types of victimization in the UK: Findings from a population survey of caregivers, children and young people and young adults. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37, 801–813.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, C. M. (2016). Examining the work of domestic violence programs within a “social and emotional well-being promotion” conceptual framework. Harrisburg, PA: National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV). Retrieved August 26, 2016 from http://www.dvevidenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/DVEvidence-Services-ConceptualFramework-2016.pdf.

  • Sullivan, C. M., Bomsta, H. D., & Hacskaylo, M. A. (2016). Evidence that flexible funding is a promising strategy to prevent homelessness for survivors of intimate partner violence: A longitudinal pilot study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516664318.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, C. M., & Olsen, L. (2016). Common ground, complementary approaches: Adapting the housing first model for domestic violence survivors. Seattle, WA: Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland, C. A., Sullivan, C., & Bybee, D. I. (2001). Effects of intimate partner violence versus poverty on women’s health. Violence Against Women, 7, 1122–1143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2013). Rapid re-housing: ESG vs CoC. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Retrieved August 27, 2016 from https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/ documents/Rapid_Re-Housing_ESG_vs_CoC.pdf.

  • Warshaw, C., Brashler, P., & Gil, J. (2009). Mental health consequences of intimate partner violence. In C. Mitchell & D. Anglin (Eds.), Intimate partner violence: A health-based perspective (pp. 147–171). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilder Research Center. (2007). Overview of homelessness in Minnesota 2006: Key facts from the statewide survey. Saint Paul, MN: Wilder Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zlotnick, C., Johnson, D. M., & Kohn, R. (2006). Intimate partner violence and long-term psychosocial functioning in a national sample of American women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21, 262–275.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This study received support under Grant #90EV0410 to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) from the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (ACF/DHHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of ACF/DHHS.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Cris M. Sullivan, Gabriela López-Zerón & Heather Bomsta

  2. National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 6041 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg, PA, 17112, USA

    Anne Menard

  3. Psychology Department, MSU, 316 Physics Rd., East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Cris M. Sullivan

Authors
  1. Cris M. Sullivan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gabriela López-Zerón
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Heather Bomsta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anne Menard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cris M. Sullivan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of Michigan State University and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sullivan, C.M., López-Zerón, G., Bomsta, H. et al. ‘There’s Just All These Moving Parts:’ Helping Domestic Violence Survivors Obtain Housing. Clin Soc Work J 47, 198–206 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-018-0654-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-018-0654-9

Keywords

  • Domestic violence
  • Housing
  • Social service
  • Advocacy