Homelessness and Intimate Partner Violence: Women's Experiences With Accessing Formal Support Services and the Impact of Their Intersecting Identities

Abstract

Many women experiencing homelessness and intimate partner violence (IPV) often do not use formal support services due to barriers such as finances, inaccessibility, controlling partners, and stigma. The current literature lacks studies that examine the formal service experiences of women who have undergone both homelessness and IPV. Therefore, the current study used a qualitative-dominant design and explored the formal service needs of these women, barriers and facilitating factors associated with accessing services, and how the women's identities affected their experiences with formal services. Interviews with 10 women were conducted, and a reflexive thematic analysis was conducted using a critical feminist and intersectionality lens. The most common factors that led to homelessness were conflict and precarious circumstances leading to housing instability. Common barriers were systemic, psychological, dismissal, minimization, and financial barriers. The most common needs were health, finances, and basic necessities. The most common facilitating factors were support networks and resilience, growth, and proactivity. The social positionings most commonly affecting their experiences were class and race/ethnicity. These findings highlighted the voices of marginalized women and can be used to implement positive change in formal services that cater to this subgroup of women.