Concerns over shortage of women-only shelters

THE majority of women who access homeless services have histories of violent victimisation, often spanning from childhood, the preliminary findings of research on women and homelessness has found.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin, who undertook 56 interviews, found many of the women expressed a desire for women-only accommodation. They often have drug and/or alcohol problems and mental health problems, while 93% reported abusive or violent upbringings.

Homeless services have seen an increase in the number of women accessing services in the past year.

Concern over limited women-only accommodation led 10 groups writing to the state’s body for dealing with homelessness in the capital, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive.

The letter was written last year and co-signed by the heads of Barnardos, Dublin Simon, Ruhama and Sonas, among others.

It stated: “We are extremely concerned about the changes in the use of some emergency homeless services in Dublin under the new pathways implementation which we fear will result in a reduction in the number of women-only temporary accommodation services.

“Prior to reconfiguration, women-only crisis services were often over-subscribed. Cutting these essential services is extremely detrimental for homeless women on the streets. Many of these women accessing the services are likely to have been raised in the care of the state.”

Sonas, which provides housing to women and children who are homeless because of domestic violence, said there had been no response to the letter. According to Sonas, only having mixed emergency homeless services is a retrograde step for homeless services in Dublin.

“Research and our own working practice evidence show that women who end up in emergency-type accommodation are very often one of the most vulnerable groups of homeless people.

“If all emergency accommodation was to be mixed, this would deter a great number of women from accessing these services, leaving them at risk in unsuitable accommodation and precarious situations. If they do access a male-dominated homeless service, there is a huge potential for problems.”

Sharon Cosgrove, head of Sonas, said the group had an application from a woman staying in a male-dominated emergency hostel.

“The referral agent said she thought of Sonas as the only option for this woman, as she has serious mental health and behavioural problems stemming from abuse experienced as a child/teenager and is extremely vulnerable in the company of men in the hostel and there have been some incidents leaving the woman at extreme risk.

“Her referral agent said she needs to be in a woman-only situation for a while to come to terms with the abuse suffered in the past and that this cannot happen in a mixed-gender setting.”

Documents obtained by the Irish Examiner also show concern over proposed cuts to the homeless sector after a 10% cut last year. In late 2011, a network of organisations was to meet to lobby against further cuts which could amount to an additional 3.6% on top of the 10%. The network acknowledged demand for homeless services had risen and that move-on options such as allocations to social housing had dropped.