How accessible housing helps break cycle of abuse

With 40% of homeless women citing domestic abuse as a contributing factor, safe and accessible housing options are crucial for helping survivors with diverse needs break the cycle of abuse and empower them to regain their independence. 

This International Women’s Day, we are reflecting on the important role housing plays and the urgent need for more accessible options. 

"I feel so powerful now, so much stronger. I think a lot of it is that I was really listened to for the first time in my life, it feels great." 

These are the words from a woman supported by our Rhea project (2017-2023), in partnership with Solace Women's Aid. Rhea provided safe, self-contained housing and tailored support for survivors of domestic abuse, recognising that traditional refuges can often be unsuitable. 

In many cases, the lack of appropriate housing options means that women must often choose between staying in an abusive relationship or becoming homeless. 

This issue is stark for women with older sons, who were often supported by Rhea. Only 49.4% of male children aged 16 and under can be accommodated in refuges, while that figure drops to 19.4% for those aged 17 and over, according to data from Women's Aid. The Rhea project evaluation revealed that the opportunity to stay with sons helped women avoid returning to abusive relationships. 

The tailored service Rhea provided yielded considerable positive outcomes: 

• Over two-thirds of service users felt safer and more confident. 

• There were noted improvements in children's emotional wellbeing. 

• Women's financial situations and job retention improved.   

• Almost every woman reported a greater understanding of abuse. 

Rhea indicated that self-contained housing, as opposed to typical refuge approaches, are better for some women – and can help break cycles of abuse by providing stability, enabling women to rebuild their lives. 

In 2023, Commonweal supported Refuge – the UK’s largest domestic abuse organisation – with their feasibility study exploring best practices for a dispersed accommodation model, aimed at those who find traditional shared refuge provisions unsuitable.  

Along with survivors with older male children, traditional refuge settings are often challenging for those with different needs. Data collected by the No Women Turned Away Project – which assists survivors struggling to find safe accommodation – found that 42% of those supported had mental health needs, 21% had a disability, 18% required substance use support, 10% had four or more children, and 9% had older male children.  

Refuge is currently piloting a two-year dispersed accommodation model in Warwickshire, which provides independent living alongside specialist support for survivors of domestic abuse typically unable to access specialist shared accommodation. This includes survivors with disabilities, survivors with pets, and transgender survivors. Commonweal is pleased to be funding the ongoing evaluation of this model.