Domestic Violence and Poverty: The Narratives of Homeless Women

Among the many reasons for homelessness, domestic violence and low-cost housing shortages experienced within a context of poverty are fundamental for low-income women living in shelters. Women interviewed in homeless and battered women’s shelters in Phoenix, Arizona, describe a process of becoming homeless that usually involves a combination of interlocking events and factors, such that it is impossible to isolate one explanation for a woman’s homelessness. Nonetheless, women’s stories indicate a pattern in their persistent poverty and bettering relationships prior to becoming homeless. (Author)