Housing women who have experienced abuse: policy, funding & practice

Data contributed by: Heinrich Boell Foundation

The 4 provincial studies explore national and provincial government policy and budgets in relation to the provision of shelter services for abused women. They also profile the needs of women, and their children, who sought residence in shelters, and assessed the ability of shelters to meet those needs in the context of state funding. Essentially the studies sought to determine whether the state was fulfilling its obligations in ensuring the provision of sheltering services
to women.

Methodology Used in Gathering and Analysis

Three types of data collection was undertaken:

1. semi-structured interviews with shelter managers and other senior staff at the participating shelters for insights into the shelter, its enrolment policy, its services, funding sources and its challenges
2. analysis of shelter documentation including Annual Reports, Audited Financial Statements and funding Service Level Agreements (where
these existed)
3. analysis of client case files (based on data extracted from client schedules) for the period of focus and for the demographic of focus, i.e. women survivors of intimate partner violence.

The case file analysis enabled the collection of evidence with regards to the demographic of shelter
residents, the interventions they received including, inter alia, financial; medical;
legal and empowerment support, as well as the support provided to children who
accompanied their mothers to the shelter. Desktop research was then conducted
through analysing legislation, policy documents, government reports and budgets, media and scholarly articles that examine shelter services. There are limitations to using raw data due to the nature of information extracted from client case files. Although no names are recorded, information extracted remains confidential. Shelters also asked not be identified. Data, as it is presented in the report, can be used.