How Housing Insecurity and Welfare Systems Retraumatize Women in Southern California

Author(s)

Yesika MeneraFollow

Faculty Mentor(s)

Odilka Santiago

Publication Date

Summer 7-31-2024

Disciplines

Community-Based Research | Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence | Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Other Social and Behavioral Sciences | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies | Race and Ethnicity | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Rural Sociology | Social Justice | Social Welfare | Social Work | Sociology | Women's Studies

Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement

Studies show that individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity also experience trauma and mental illnesses. Despite this evidence, many resources provided through state welfare services seldom allocate sufficient funds and personnel to help address mental health. This study investigates the relationship between housing insecurity and trauma for adult women who have tried to access assistance throughout Southern California. To do this, I conducted in-depth interviews and DSM-5 questionnaires with twenty-six women during the summer of 2023 and 2024 via Zoom. My findings show that adult women who have experienced homelessness and housing insecurity in Southern California were more susceptible to retraumatization by welfare services as long as they attempted to access them. The results from this study can be used to implement trauma-informed care practices into welfare services to improve resources for women and lower the rate of homelessness.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA License.