A 1989 study by the National Women Abuse Prevention Project found that physical abuse of women resulted in more injuries to women than rapes, muggings, and automobile accidents combined. When a woman leaves an abusive relationship/home, she usually has nowhere to go, especially when she has no friends or family around. This is often true because abusers threaten the victim in order to end their relationships with all family members and friends. Battered women's shelters are usually full, and have no choice but to turn women away.
However, a truly sad fact is that there are about 3,800 animal shelters in the United States, while there are only 1,200 shelters for battered women. That is more than 3 animal shelters for every one shelter for women. Additionally, the United Way organization allots a mere $11 million to uphold shelters for those who have been victims of domestic violence/sexual assualt. This may seem like a great deal of money, but it's only 0.5% of their nationwide budget!
In New York City, 59% of women and children seeking refuge were turned away from shelters, giving them the option to look for shelter elsewhere or return to their abusive homes. In some areas of the country, more than 90% of homeless families are headed by women.
If a woman or child does find shelter, it is usually an emergency shelter, limiting the amount of time spent there. These women are usually expected to find optional housing in a number of weeks. Public aid subsidizing housing is available, but there are waiting lists that range anywhere from several months to several years in order to obtain it.
Due to the lack of housing and the amount of time that women spend waiting to be housed, many women return to their abusers. In Illinois, New York, and Michigan, an average of 33% of homeless women returned to their abusers. In Michigan it was found that 60% of those women returned to their homes because of the lack of affordable housing.
Domestic violence victims lead a different life than the rest of those who live in a shelter. Most women live with the fear that their abuser will look for them, because they have no protection to keep the person away. Some new homeless shelters are being established with the intent of helping those who have been vicitm to domestic violence. In San Diego County, there are shelters that ensure a home for the vicitms as well as providing them with a sort of "rehabilitation" program. This program entails self-empowerment, counseling and emotional support, peer group support, counseling for the children, vocational training and job-search assistance, child care, and long-term, transitional shelter. Security and short-term legal assistance, including a temporary restraining order, are also provided. These shelters are made exceptional by the fact that they keep all of the women's information, including their names, confidential. With the knowledge that her abuser cannot find her, a woman can begin to feel secure and hopefully start to recover.
Shelters are supposed to help women in need; to give them a place to lay their heads and get away from the horrible lives that they lead. Some shelters actually try to turn women away because they've been abused. Shelters reject these women because they're afraid of the security problems that housing these women may entail. It is understandable that the shelter may want to protect its residents, but the restrictions usually force helpless victims onto the streets or back to a life of abuse. Going back home many times means that the victim is abused even more for having left, or even worse - mudered. There is already a high number of homeless people who have been victims of domestic violence, and there are many more who haven't been surveyed. Some women actually lie about having been abused in order to have a roof over their heads for a night.
Nearly half of all homeless children have been subjected to violence or have witnessed violence in their home. Children account for 27% of the homeless population, making up an even higher percentage of the population in rural areas (Vissing, 1996). Over one-third of homeless families are in court for a child-abuse case, and one out of five families have lost at least one child to foster care.
The number one reason that teens run away, according to the National Runaway Switchboard, is family problems. Family problems account for 52% of runaways. Some other factors include: physical abuse - 8%, drug abuse - 6%, sexual abuse - 4%, and emotional abuse at 4%. These teens most often become homeless, but consider the street to offer a more welcoming home than their formerly abusive one. 99% of homeless teenage prostitutes were abused as children.
