Data from a new study on the experiences of women who have survived domestic abuse is now available through the UK Data Service. The Women Who Have Survived Domestic Abuse and Their Accommodation Experiences in England study includes responses from 40 women who have survived domestic abuse, with a particular focus on their experiences accessing accommodation and domestic abuse support.
The importance of accommodation
The study highlights the importance of survivors being able to access appropriate accommodation. It found that some participants were forced to stay in abusive situations or return to live in the same house as their perpetrator due to a lack of alternative options.
Many women faced difficulty accessing accommodation, including difficulties navigating the system. Other participants described being offered accommodation they viewed as inappropriate for their circumstances.
Accommodation that was inappropriate appeared to have a negative impact on women’s health and wellbeing. Some of this accommodation could make survivors feel unsafe, particularly when they had children, where there was a lack of security, when accommodation was mixed-gendered or where drugs and alcohol were present.
Improving lives
At the time the study was conducted, the UK’s Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) was evaluating the provisions in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 for domestic abuse survivors to be supported when leaving their homes. The findings of the study have directly informed the MHCLG in this area.
This is particularly important given the current government has pledged to halve levels of violence against women and girls within a decade. By providing insights into the experiences and needs of women, the hope is the study can help accommodation and support services become better tailored to meet survivors’ needs.
More information
The study is based on 40 in-depth interviews with women who have survived domestic abuse across England. The interviews were conducted between January and April 2023 by the Interventions Alliance on behalf of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). You can access the full dataset via our data catalogue.