The D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness released a first-of-its-kind report detailing the violence homeless women face in D.C. and the trauma that leaves women vulnerable to housing instability. The report found that three out of four homeless women are survivors of violence and more than half said they had experienced some form of violence while homeless. The report’s results also highlighted the strong link between homelessness and violence against women, including domestic violence and childhood abuse. Additionally, many homeless women said they were pressured or coerced to have sex, with more than one-third of these women reporting that they were trafficked or exploited for sex.
The report “shows a blurring of the lines between the needs of domestic violence survivors and homeless women more broadly, and it calls for more opportunities for the service providers in each field to work together.” Critical needs identified include stable, safe housing for women and a full range of services for survivors.
Compiled from: Chandler, Michael Allison, For homeless women, violence is a pervasive part of their past and present, report shows, The Washington Post (February 19, 2018).