Navigating homelessness and navigating abuse: How homeless mothers find transitional housing while managing intimate partner violence

Impoverished women who leave an abusive partner often become homeless, and many homeless women have been abused, yet these groups are frequently studied as distinctly different populations. A total of 15 current and former female participants in a transitional living program (TLP) were interviewed about how they became homeless, where they lived while homeless, the abuse and other challenges they faced, and how they handled those challenges. All participants were homeless with at least one child, and all experienced homeless while trying to end abuse. Using grounded theory to analyze the interviews, a 3-stage process of moving into their own apartment in a TLP was delineated: precarious housing, searching for help, and making systems work. The influence of abuse on the rehousing process and considerations for researchers and service providers are discussed.

Publication Date: 
2015
Pages: 
1019–1035
Volume: 
43
Issue: 
8
Journal Name: 
Journal of Community Psychology
Location: 
USA