The invisibility of women ’ s homelessness Debbie Hager with help from Terry Baxter 2006

Woman are still not equal to men in terms of income and opportunity Financially women are at a disadvantage Median income of women - $19,552 is $13,728 below men – $33,280 75% of the people working part time are women 81.9% of one parent families are headed by women.

There is very little research about housing that addresses issues specific to women

It does tell us that: Many homeless women are escaping abuse and violence Many homeless women have dependant children That, while many homeless women have mental health and/or substance abuse problems prior to homelessness - homelessness causes mental health problems and substance abuse Homelessness causes many health problems and can precipitate suicide attempts

What does a homeless woman look like?

What is a home?

We have a space of our own that is considered to belong to us. It is secure: we know that "home" is going to be there when we get there. We can come and go when we choose to and decide what we do in the space and how it will look. It is safe. We are free from physical, sexual and emotional abuse

Homelessness means a lot of different things Rough sleeping Sleeping in a shelter or another non - permanent place Sleeping/living in a place that is insecure or unsafe

Trapped in situations of domestic violence or sexual abuse, with few alternative housing options available A tendency to become involved in unsuitable domestic relationships in order to gain shelter Denial of choice in, and control over, one’s housing

Frequent relocation which denies women opportunities to improve their economic prospects Living in seriously sub-standard or over-crowed housing where no affordable options are available

3 Case studies Domestic violence Mental Illness Boarding houses

Domestic violence Male role control works by physically, verbally or emotionally destroying your partner’s physical, intellectual and emotional integrity so that she will be afraid to be herself, will control herself, and therefore be available to be controlled by you.” Man Alive, 1995

MANY WOMEN GO INTO REFUGE EACH YEAR There are 51 affiliated refuges and a number of unaffiliated refuges This year refuge has provided services for 29,934 women and children 17,773 women, 12,161children

Where do these women go after refuge? Family or friends Short term accommodation - back packers, motels Housing NZ houses Other emergency accommodation Private rentals Stay in their own home without the abuser Back to the abuser

There are a number of women who find it difficult to access refuge Women with mental health problems Women who abuse drugs and alcohol Women with a physical disability Women without dependant children

2006 survey of 39 refuges In the past 6 months: 347 women with a mental health or drug and alcohol problem were accepted into refuge They had 447 children 79 women were moved out - 81 children 178 women were denied access to refuge 257 women over 6 months - a minimum of 514 women each year

These women go: back to the abuser into psychiatric institutions or drug and alcohol services into caravan parks to back packers or motels on to the street occasionally into private or state rentals

“When they leave the refuge they slip through the gap. There is nothing there for them. They end up in the psych ward or on the streets.”

“A lot end up in caravan parks – WINZ pay women’s benefits to caravan parks or stick women in cul-de-sacs full of drug addicts and drunks, which women have tried so hard to change and they put them straight back where they come from. Refuge is a safe haven, we see them re-bonding with their children – huge changes, then they move backwards when they have to go into bad housing.”

Women require high quality specialised services to help them overcome the mental health and substance abuse problems that have been caused by domestic violence.

Mental Illness Mental illness causes homelessness in a variety of ways.

Women: end up on the street live in short term accommodation, moving between, for example, residential services or boarding houses lose their houses and possessions when they go into inpatient units move because of the stress of their environments live with unsuitable people for the sake of shelter and companionship

We need women only: inpatient wards drug and alcohol services - including detox services Mental health and drug and alcohol services where women can go with their children secure, long term, high quality housing for women with mental illness - with and without children An understanding of the needs of people with mental illness and the specific needs of women for safety.

Boarding Houses

In 1996 Terry Baxter interviewed 12 women who lived, or had lived, in a commercial boarding house. The majority of the women had lived in boarding houses for 2 or more years. These woman were: aged between Mainly Pakeha In receipt of a benefit Over half the women had children 4 were working 4 had previously owned their own homes with a husband

The main reasons for moving into a boarding house were: Leaving an unsatisfactory situation - relationship breakdown; fear of violence; didn’t like the people they were living with. Leaving an institution

Personal comfort and security Women’s comments about the houses included: Cold and dirty Damp, draughty and smelt bad No women only bathrooms Other people had keys to the bedrooms (former occupiers) Inadequate lighting No secure locks on windows No secure locks on bedroom doors

Women want: Their own bathroom Cleanliness A democratic environment A women only space Pets An aesthetic space Personal safety - locks on toilet and bedroom doors A sense of community Support

We need Women only boarding houses, or similar accommodation for women requiring this level of short term, uncomplicated accommodation

Is homelessness a choice? Most women want a home of their own - a place that is safe, secure, warm and private.