Investigating the Links Between VAW, financial instability, and Homelessness

The Oikos (meaning household in Greek) project. This project is about using data to make an evidence-based case for adequate housing for low-income women and survivors of violence.

Housing security is a fundamental human right. Housing stability promotes health and well-being. Yet millions of low-income women worldwide wrestle daily with housing instability, homelessness, financial instability, and violence.

Housing instability can cover women's inability to pay rent, experience frequent moving from one space to another, or the threat of losing their home. On the other hand, homelessness deals with women's loss of their homes and the lack of safe, affordable, and permanent housing.

The Canadian Observatory of Homelessness defines homelessness as "the situation of an individual, family or community without stable, safe, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring it."

Any woman can experience housing instability and homelessness at any point in their lifetime. However, low-income women and children who experience violence are at a greater risk of experiencing housing instability.

The Oikos Research Project (ORP) will investigate the links between violence against women and Housing Instability, and Homelessness in Trinidad and Tobago, and the role of financial instability. This intersection has been underresearched, leaving existing gaps in knowledge.

The findings can provide information to adequately address violence against women, housing, and financial instability. And develop responsive public policies and programs. Moreover, data can provide the grounds for budgetary allocation at the local government and national levels to address the problem.

The ORP will occur in a phased process:

1. A Literature Review and co-development of a proposal.
2. Co-development of the research methodology and proposal, including the MEAL plan.
3. Disseminating the completed research proposal to potential stakeholders.
4. Disseminating the survey, facilitating five stakeholder consultations, and two focus groups to gather additional data and insights into the problem and root causes, analyzing the data, and writing the report.
5. Publishing the report and hosting a hybrid live stream session to discuss the findings and recommendations.
6. Advocate for a national consortium to develop a sustainable national action plan.

The country can no longer disregard this pervasive problem. Additionally, the adverse impact of COVID-19, increasing economic crises at the family, national, and global levels, and evolving socio-economic issues are exacerbating family violence and homelessness.

Research shows that women and children who experience family, interpersonal, and institutional violence are more likely to become homeless or experience housing instability. The National Network to End Domestic Violence says, "Domestic and Sexual Violence is a leading cause of homelessness." When women choose to leave, they experience homelessness, different types of risks, and further violence. "Between 22 and 57% of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness" (U.S Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.).

Understanding the links between violence and homelessness, and housing and economic instability is critical to understand its complexities and domino effect on all aspects of women's lives and by extension the society.

Ultimately, the findings can promote housing programs that are not only affordable but also promote safety, permanency, and security.

How a country treats its women and children indicates its progress, development, inclusiveness, and equity. Not addressing the issue of #homelessness and housing instability will ultimately enable the cyclical patterns of violence, discrimination, and abuse within private and public spheres while at the same time undermining the human rights of millions of people.

June 29, 2023

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Email: alexinnaconsulting@gmail.com

#HumanRights #DomesticViolence #WPS1325 #AffordableHousing #ShernaAlexanderBenjamin #Caribbean #TrinidadandTobago #Health #Equity #EconomicStability