Violence in the lives of homeless women

Media accounts of violence against homeless individuals usually focus on seemingly random attacks on men living on the streets. Results from a multi-method study on the social networks of homeless persons (N = 100), suggest, however, that violence within and among the homeless is a gendered phenomenon. Homeless women, much like their non-homeless counterparts, are more vulnerable to and likely to be victimized by men they know. And, the violence is more likely to be sexual in nature as compared to the physical assaults against men. This paper provides an in-depth qualitative examination of violence in the lives of 26 homeless women (interviewed as part of the aforementioned study). Using the analytical induction method, 3 broad themes emerged. First, violence as a precipitating factor in women becoming homeless is discussed; specifically, women fleeing domestic violence situations. Second, once homeless, the extent to which these women are victims of sexual coercion and violence is examined, with situations running the gamut from trading sexual favors for protection to partner assault to rape. Third, responses and coping strategies to violence employed by these women are delineated, with prayer and seeking assistance from men as the preferred actions. Descriptive statistics on the entire study's sample provide the context for this qualitative analysis. In keeping with the conference theme of social justice, the authors consider what intervention strategies need to be developed by the homeless and gender violence service communities in order to better attend to the needs of these vulnerable women.