Behind closed doors: Why we need to see domestic abuse as a housing issue

Today marks the end of the 16 days of activism for 2022. This annual international campaign aims to raise awareness and calls for change in the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. Each year it begins on 25 November, which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, which is Human Rights Day.

The 16 days campaign is particularly important to the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and our members because of the interlinked role of housing and domestic abuse, and the vital role housing professionals can play in the response to domestic abuse. At CIH’s very heart is the belief that everyone has the right to a safe and affordable and secure home. Yet we know that for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, including children, home is often the most dangerous place.

Housing is one of the primary barriers for women attempting to leave abusers. In the 2020 Women’s Aid Hidden Housing Crisis research, 70 per cent of women said their housing situation and concerns about future housing, including fears of homelessness or lack of safe housing, prevented them from leaving an abuser. This forces survivors, including children, to remain living in dangerous, traumatic, and often life-threatening situations. This has been heightened by the cost of living crisis. A survey by Women’s Aid in July found almost three quarters of the survivors said the cost of living crisis had either prevented them from leaving or made it harder for them to leave, and this was before the economic crisis began to really bite!

Domestic abuse is also one of the leading causes of homelessness amongst women, with domestic abuse being recorded currently the second most common reason for households approaching English councils for homeless relief according to DLUHC's official statistics release. We know survivors (including children) who flee their home to become safe from domestic abuse can face substantial barriers in accessing safety and housing stability, with the chronic undersupply of social homes playing a key part in this.

The results of a recent mapping exercise by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner across England and Wales shows a patchwork of provision in the support and response domestic abuse victims and survivors receive. Whilst the report recorded the essential difference specialist support and services can make to survivors in rebuilding their lives, it also highlighted disturbing gaps for victims and survivors, especially for those from marginalised communities. This tells us there is much work still to be done! 

Housing providers are in a unique position to be able to identify domestic abuse and respond to it. Domestic abuse is often described as a hidden crime that happens ‘behind closed doors’. Housing professionals can sometimes be the only agency ever to see behind those doors, which is why equipping front line housing professionals to spot domestic abuse early and provide an effective response to both survivors and perpetrators, as a part of a wider coordinated community response, is so crucial. Housing providers across the country are taking this role seriously; training repairs operatives and frontline staff to create the awareness, knowledge and confidence required for them to be the eyes and ears of their organisation. With many housing providers now having dedicated domestic abuse and safeguarding teams working in partnership to provide victim centered responses and support to secure the best outcomes for survivors.

The 16 days campaign provides an opportunity to shine a light on good practices of providers in response to domestic abuse. Through our work with the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance’s (DAHA) national group we know that an ever-growing number of housing providers are making the commitment to improve their response to domestic abuse through the introduction and adoption of an established set of standards and an accreditation process and, and that is to be celebrated.

The housing sector employs thousands of people across the UK, raising awareness is not only about our tenants but also about effectively supporting our co-workers too. Statistically most of us will work with both the victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse, even though we are unlikely to know it. CIH’s Make a Stand partnership with DAHA and Women’s Aid launched in 2018 gives housing organisations the chance to sign up to put in place simple commitments which could make a real difference to people working in organisations – including putting in place a meaningful domestic abuse policy for staff, signposting information for and having a lead within your organisation at a senior level.

Eliminating violence against women and girls should be something, as a society, we strive to do every day. However, anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, sexuality, background, or anything else. The 16 days of activism campaign provides a good opportunity to raise awareness, champion advocacy efforts, and share knowledge and good practice of the impact we can have as housing professionals. Creating awareness so we all play a role in tackling domestic abuse in our communities is essential to create the lifelines victims and survivors of domestic abuse urgently need.