Housing: More than just bricks and mortar. Domestic abuse interventions within the housing sector

Abstract

In this chapter, Gudrun Burnet provides an overview of the role housing has played over time in the securement of safety in situations of domestic violence and abuse. This identifies some of the key challenges that have been experienced by victims/survivors as housing provisions, homelessness laws and bureaucratical processes have frequently overlooked, or misunderstood the needs of domestic violence and abuse victims/survivors. However, this moves positively towards the presentation of a new innovative phase in housing sector developments and their integral role in a coordinated community response to domestic violence and abuse issues. The policy, practice and staff training developments undertaken by Peabody Housing has seen a shift to centre stage as a first response agency with unique opportunities to engage with victims/survivors.