Numerous women become homeless every year because of the problem of domestic violence. This kind of violence makes women feel alone and left out from the society because they stop being financially supported by the people who abuse them. This issue is a great risk of making women homeless because they lose their security by all means. These women do not have any kind of income or possessions and they never worked which can only leave them in the streets. Such victims often suffer from mental problems like depression which can also lead to drug abuse.
Homelessness is closely related to domestic violence because most of the homeless women are the survivors of this kind of mistreatment. Assaults can be both physical and mental and the abusers are usually the aggressive partners. The first thing that the survivors need is shelter far away from where the mistreatment took place. The most important is for the victims to feel safety and stability while being in a place which is comfortable and yet inexpensive. It is important to have shelters which are led by the government and women have to be encouraged to be able to return to the society as soon as possible. Homelessness occurs when women are abused in their own homes where they also receive threats. It is important for them to seek for help immediately so that the problem can be solved in a timely manner. Domestic violence includes aggressive behavior and threats. Violence can be emotional, social and financial apart from being physical and mental.
It is important to leave home in the case of domestic violence and this may result in homelessness. “More than a third of adults seeking assistance from homeless services say they are fleeing domestic violence, a study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has shown, but experts say the real figure could be much higher” (Wahlquist). The great majority of people who have to leave their homes because of abuse are women who have no income. Domestic violence is not treated as a serious issue in courts because there is still some sort of a stigma related to men abusing women. Women are still the weaker sex and they are not equal to men in all the countries which is why the justice system does not take their accusations as seriously as they should be taken.
Most of the domestic violence happens to women who are abused by men and the negative issue about this is that these men usually financially support the women. “Although violence against all women must be studied, the situation of poor women needs particular attention because they have so few resources” (Kurz 105). Women have to learn how to become financially independent so that the risk of them becoming homeless can be reduced. “Women’s stories indicate a pattern in their persistent poverty and battering relationships prior to becoming homeless” (Williams 143). There are usually more factors which lead to homelessness, but violence is the most prominent one.
Women have to be educated about the importance of being independent and have an income with which they can support themselves. Being subjected to men in a relationship can lead to abuse because people are manipulative beings. Homelessness is an important issue which needs to be dealt with through raising awareness, so that it can be reduced.
Works Cited
Wahlquist, Calla. "One in three using homeless services are fleeing domestic violence, study reveals." The Guardian 3 Feb. 2016. Web. 9 Apr. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/03/one-in-three-using-homeless-services-are-fleeing-domestic-violence-study-reveals>.
Kurz, Demie. "Women, Welfare, and Domestic Violence." Social Justice 25.1 (1998): 105-22. Print.
Williams, Jean C. "Domestic Violence and Poverty: The Narratives of Homeless Women." Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies 19.2 (1998): 143-65. Print.
