Women’s experiences of homelessness

Despite homeless women being reported as one of the fastest growing homeless populations worldwide, their experiences remain underreported and underrepresented across data, research and literature. This qualitative research aimed to explore and understand women’s experiences of homelessness, underpinned by contemporary theoretical frameworks of intersectionality and post-structuralist feminism. The limited evidence base suggests gendered patterns of homelessness. Women are categorised as the ‘hidden homeless’, motivated by strategies of safety which render them invisible to methods of homeless data collection, indicating the complexity, nuanced and inter-related nature of women’s homelessness. Eight women who had previously been homeless were interviewed, recruited from a charity organisation for homeless women. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews which were analysed using reflexive Thematic Analysis, aligned with the critical realist social constructionist positioning of this research. Four master themes were generated from the analysis: Illusion of Choice; Intersecting Identities; Habituation to Trauma and Abuse and Shape Shifting which reflected some findings reported in the literature. However, unique findings were also generated from this research: At the Mercy of Luck, Flexing of Gender and Identity and Acts of Resistance, providing novel insights into women’s experiences of homelessness which go beyond the existing knowledge base, to contribute alternative perspectives. The findings overall highlight paradoxical ways of living, the socio-historical-political constructs which inform and maintain women’s homelessness and the ways homeless women are resisting, evolving and adapting to the constraints placed on them. An evaluation of the research is offered including limitations, areas for future consideration, dissemination and implications for clinical practice.