Qualitative data from a recent study on the accommodation experiences of women survivors of 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 in-depth interviews with 40 women, with a particular focus on their experiences accessing accommodation and domestic abuse support after having to leave their homes due to domestic abuse.
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 difficulties in accessing accommodation, including challenges navigating the system. Some also reported being offered accommodation they felt was inappropriate for their circumstances.
Accommodation that was inappropriate appeared to have a negative impact on women’s health and wellbeing. Survivors described feeling unsafe in such settings, particularly when they had children, due to factors such as poor security, mixed-gendered accommodation or the presence of drugs and alcohol.
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.