The Hidden Connection: Domestic Violence and Homelessness
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when we honor survivors and discuss an uncomfortable truth: domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness in this country. Addressing one without the other can leave survivors with nowhere safe to go.
The Numbers Behind the Stories
The connection between domestic violence and homelessness is consistently documented. Data shows that 38% of all domestic violence survivors become homeless at some point in their lifetime, and more than 90% of unhoused women have reported experiencing severe abuse at some point in their lives. Among mothers with children experiencing homelessness, more than 80% had previously experienced domestic violence. Between 22% and 57% of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness.
Why Leaving Is Not Simple
Leaving an abusive relationship is rarely as straightforward as walking out the door. Many survivors are financially dependent on their abuser, often by design, which traps them in abusive relationships and makes it difficult to seek help or escape. Coping with abuse can also lead to poor rental, credit, and employment histories that make it hard for survivors to qualify for housing on their own.
When survivors do reach out for help, the system is often unable to meet the need. On a single day in 2022, more than 1,600 domestic violence programs nationwide were unable to meet over 6,700 requests for housing services. On average, it takes a homeless family six to ten months to secure housing. For a survivor weighing whether to leave, that gap between crisis and stability can be the difference between safety and returning to harm.
Finding Support in Omaha
Our community has dedicated organizations doing this work every day. Our partners at Women's Center for Advancement and Heartland Family Service assist people experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, offering free, high-quality services that address immediate safety needs and provide support over time. Catholic Charities of Omaha and Sanctuary House operate domestic violence shelters offering survivors and their children a safe, confidential place to stay, along with trained advocates available 24/7 to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, and shelter access.
At Threshold CoC, we recognize that a survivor fleeing violence and a neighbor fleeing eviction are both navigating housing instability, even though their paths into it look different. Our Coordinated Entry System and Access Points work to ensure that survivors are connected with trauma-informed housing resources and not left to choose between an unsafe home and no home at all.
This Month and Beyond
Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a reminder that housing stability is safety. For survivors, a stable home is not a convenience. It is often the determining factor in whether they are able to leave, and stay safely away, for good.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available 24/7 through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or locally through the Women's Center for Advancement, Catholic Charities of Omaha, Heartland Family Service, or Sanctuary House.
If you or a neighbor is facing housing instability, please connect with one of our Access Points. If you are able, please support our work to help prevent homelessness and support people as they connect with the resources to gain housing stability.
Sources:
https://nationalhomeless.org/domestic-violence/
https://ccomaha.org/domestic-violence-services/
https://www.heartlandfamilyservice.org/services/domestic-violence-sexual-assault/
https://www.heartlandfamilyservice.org/services/heartland-housing-sanctuary/
https://acf.gov/ofvps/fact-sheet/domestic-violence-and-homelessness-statistics-2016
https://www.safeaustin.org/homelessness-among-abuse-survivors-a-deepening-crisis/