Pathways Into and Out of Homelessness: Domestic Violence and Housing Security for Immigrant Women

Abstract

Abstract Housing insecurity is a major barrier to leaving domestic violence; it may force abused women to live in inadequate conditions or to return to their abusers. Immigrant women face additional barriers. Longitudinal interviews with 37 abused immigrant women living in three Canadian cities investigated key causes of housing insecurity. Results show a need to target systemic factors, a diversity of issues foregrounded along pathways into and out of homelessness, and complex indicators of risk. Advocacy is key to exiting abuse and obtaining secure housing, and cultural competency in services is needed to adequately support immigrant women experiencing domestic violence. KEYWORDS: Domestic violenceimmigrant womenhousing insecurity and homelessnessstructural factorsgender Acknowledgments Academic and community partners included the Brenda Strafford Centre (Calgary), the Calgary Coalition on Family Violence (Calgary), the University of Calgary, the Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence (Winnipeg), Osborne House (Winnipeg), Immigrant Women's Counselling Services (Winnipeg), Needs Centre for War-Affected Families (Winnipeg), the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (Halifax), Bryony House (Halifax), Adsum House (Halifax), and RESOLVE Alberta. We would also like to thank Jana Smith, project coordinators Maureen Kalloo, Cortleigh Vowles and Andrea D'Sylva, and research assistants Kalyani Iyengar, Fatima Chatur, Robyn Mills, Rose Joshua, and Carol Siu. We thank Laura Lagendyk who provided assistance with data analysis and Kathy Dirk who provided editorial assistance. The study received funding from the National Research Program of the National Homelessness Initiative and the Prairie Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Integration. The recommendations do not reflect the positions of either funder.