the relationship between domestic violence and homelessness
DESCRIPTION
Presentation by Michaela Gosch, Frauenhaus Graz, Austria, at a FEANTSA seminar on "Homelessness in public and private spaces: Mind the policy gap! Local strategies to address the different faces of homelessness", hosted by the Committee of the Regions, June 2010TRANSCRIPT
The relationship between domestic violence and homelessness June 2010
Michaela Gosch
Main Causes of Homelessness for Women
Income of women
Educational system
Difficulties finding work
Lack of affordable housing
Hidden Homelessness
Female homlessness is invisible
“Individual coping strategies”
staying with friends or family
staying in violent relationsships
Main reason for female homelessness -Domestic violence
To escape from violence, women are
often forced to leave home
They experience social and personal
disruption
They face financial disadvantages
Austrian Federal Act on Protection from Domestic Violence
In force since 1997Barring orders
2 weeks (police)4 weeks (district court, temporary injunction)1 year and longer (civil court, temporary injunction)
2008: 6566 perpetrators were evicted
Women’s Shelters in Austria
26 Shelters
748 places for women
and their children
Placed in rural and urban
aereas
Women’s Shelter Graz
45 placesStyrian Act for Violence Protection InstitutionsMaximum stay of 6 months2008: 140 women and 136 children
After leaving the shelter (2008)Former home with perpetrator: 37 %
New home: 22 %
Accommodation for homeless women: 12 %
Family or friends: 13 %
Former home without perpetrator: 6 %
Transitional accommodation: 4 %
No data available: 6 %
Groups with special needs
Immigrants
Older women
Women with disabilities
Women with multiple issues
Immigrant women
64% of women inthe shelterPoor social networkPoor language skillsNo incomeInsecure legal status
Strategiesin Graz
300 places for homeless womenExpansion of council housingTransitional Apartments (Shelter)Prevention projects – schools hospitals
Join inJoin in!
Affordable and supervised sharedappartements
Sustainability
Art projects
Thank you!
Corporation with local political authorities
We proudly present:
The women´s shelter choire!
Thank you!