Housing and Healing: The Impacts of Intimate Partner Violence on Housing Stability and Long-Term Solutions for Survivors

Presenter

Emily Duseau

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Deborah Keisch, Department of Civic Engagement & Service-Learning, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 5, 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C8, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 1 (C1-C10) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

For survivors of intimate partner violence who experience displacement as a result of abuse, finding and maintaining long-term affordable housing opportunities is foundational in their journey toward healing. This paper examines the responses from a survey of survivors of domestic violence/intimate partner violence (DV/IPV) who received services from Safe Passage, a nonprofit organization in Northampton, Massachusetts. This qualitative study was implemented to understand the impacts of DV/IPV on clients’ housing and economic stability, and subsequently support trauma-informed programming at Safe Passage. This survey offers clients an opportunity to describe their experiences as well as select services that would be beneficial to them if offered at Safe Passage. Furthermore, this paper will include a brief overview of the historic development of housing in the United States as well as the limitations of current housing and economic assistance programs; importantly, this paper will emphasize how these limitations particularly affect survivors who hold BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other historically marginalized identities. These findings suggest housing is one important part of stability for survivors of IPV; however, housing and economic assistance services must be implemented along with efforts to build networks of care and work against oppressive structures both inside and outside of service providers’ agencies. This paper offers zoning reform, economic empowerment, and interrupting stigma as potential solutions to address the barriers that DV/IPV survivors experience related to housing stability. 

Keywords

Housing Stability , Intimate Partner Violence , Domestic Violence, Affordable Housing, Zoning Reform

Research Area

Globalization and Development

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