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Emergency Shelter/Safe-house for survivors of domestic violence
Domestic abuse includes the use of physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, stalking, financial control, emotional, and psychological abuse. It can be defined as a pattern of abusive and threatening actions used to exert power and control over an intimate partner or spouse. Violence can escalate over time and can be life-threatening in some situations.
At some point in our lives, nearly all of us will know someone affected by domestic violence, regardless of race, ethnicity, or income. One in four women will become a domestic violence victim in her lifetime. One in ten men experience domestic violence. Children are the silent victims of domestic violence.
Many people who are unsafe in their present living situation, need emergency shelter or safe-house. Special services must be available for survivors of domestic violence, to provide safety, support, advocacy and resources for survivors of domestic violence.
The number one barrier for people in abusive relationships is fear, and victims often feel suppressed by social, economic, religious, cultural or emotional obstacles. Safe-houses provide resources for victims of abuse to escape violence in their homes and begin to rebuild their lives.
Every shelter and safe-house are different, but the following is generally typical:
• Safe, private location. Shelters and safe-houses make everyone’s safety their first priority. The location is usually kept a secret.
• No fees. Shelters and safe-houses are free.
• Transportation. Many programs will provide transportation to a shelter or safe-house. Many also financially support transportation to appointments.
• Children’s safety. Advocates usually work with all family members, including children, offering support, information and parenting resources.
• Confidentiality. Victims’ information is private and will not be shared with other agencies unless they give their written permission. Victims are asked to honor the privacy of other participants by not discussing their names or situations with anyone else.
• Food, clothing, and toiletries. Shelters and safe-houses provide basic necessities for at no cost. Safe-Houses usually provide three meals per day, toiletries, and other daily essentials such as diapers and laundry detergent.
• Sleeping arrangements. In most shelters victims share the kitchen, common living areas, and bathrooms with other participants. Victims may be asked to share a bedroom.
• Visitors. Visitors are generally not allowed in the shelter or safe-house, but victims can meet with their friends and family elsewhere.
• Advocate. Victims are usually assigned to an advocate when they enter shelter. Advocates provide help with attaining goals, referrals to other agencies and services, and counseling. Victims are also provided with several opportunities to attend support groups and other special activities throughout their stay.
Domestic violence shelters have now gone beyond providing emergency residential space for survivors by assisting in obtaining future housing, employment, health care, child care, or legal services. Domestic violence shelters are expected to operate within an empowerment philosophy, with an understanding that survivors are self-determining, can identify their needs, and know what it takes to meet those needs. Recent research has indicated that, as many shelters have become more rigid in creating rules that survivors must follow to access and retain free temporary shelter, the result has been survivors’ feelings of disempowerment, the complete opposite of what was originally intended.
As shelters have become more reliant on governmental funding over time, services have become narrower and more professionalised. There is growing concern that this shift entails patronizing, pathologizing services rather than empowerment, choice-based service philosophy. Consistent findings across studies indicate that victims feeling the need to “prove” themselves worthy of services and favor by adhering to rules (e.g., documenting participation in activities, completing chores, and staying with children), leading to feelings of a loss of independence and autonomy. Residents of domestic violence shelters have noted that rules are both restrictive and coercive.
In addition to the daily frustrations, almost half of the survivors described the rules as “controlling and limiting,” suggesting the environment to be similar to their abusive partners. Many survivors indicated how the rules caused emotional distress for themselves and their children. This distress was further affected by their isolation from the social support of friends and family outside the shelter.
Studies found that victims clarified a desire to have control over their basic life choices. A sense of control over their own lives is vital given the controlling, abusive relationships that they sought out shelter to escape. Many survivors describe how the rules limited their access to their natural support systems which contributed to experiences of disempowerment. Some thorough thinking or re-thinking is needed, for the empowering role of shelters.
Shelters are valuable community assets and serve as an important safe haven for survivors of domestic violence. The supports and advocacy provided to victims are specifically designed to enhance their safety, well-being, and power over their lives. It is important that the context in which services are provided matches the philosophy driving organizational practice if the ultimate goal of empowerment is to be achieved.
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