Unhoused and Underserved: The Overlooked Struggles of Women Experiencing Homelessness

Trigger Warning: Intimate Partner Violence 

Women’s History Month offers an opportunity to shed light on the unique challenges faced by women experiencing homelessness. In 2024, over 300,000 people who experienced homelessness were women, a number that continues to increase due to rising costs of living. The gaps in service affecting these women make safe and stable housing inaccessible. As we highlight the barriers to housing stability, we also want to emphasize the importance of trauma-informed supports that place women experiencing homelessness at the forefront of our nation’s housing crisis. 

A leading cause of homelessness among women is intimate partner violence. Studies show that 38% of all intimate partner violence victims experience homelessness at some point in their lives. Many who have experienced intimate partner violence must navigate emotional abuse and financial control, making it difficult to access secure housing safely and without their partner. Others must navigate difficult situations when electing to escape intimate partner violence, as such violence can escalate when existing relationship structures are threatened. While intimate partner violence can happen to anyone, women are often at higher risk of becoming victims of intimate partner violence as well as other forms of sexual abuse. 

Additionally, gendered disparities in wealth and income exacerbate homelessness among women. Women, especially older women, are often forced into homelessness due to insufficient income and savings. The gender wage gap prevents many from accessing the financial security necessary to sustain housing security. Women tend to earn lower wages than men due to factors like occupational segregation (women being concentrated in lower-paying fields), gender discrimination in the workplace, career interruptions for childcare, and a lack of access to high-paying leadership positions, which all contribute to a smaller accumulated wealth over time compared to men. In turn, this leads to disparities in wealth and prevents women from accessing stable housing. 

Women who are experiencing homelessness also face distinct challenges that make their cycle of homelessness difficult to break. Women face heightened risk of physical and sexual violence while experiencing homelessness. Temporary housing situations, including shelters, can cause discomfort and distress for women, and particularly for those who have experienced related discomfort in the past. Restrictive shelter rules may also separate women from their partners, children, or pets, forcing them to seek other options. Many women must then choose between sleeping in unpredictable conditions or navigating vulnerable situations. Creating safer, more accessible shelter options and long-term housing solutions for women and families is crucial to addressing this crisis, ensuring that no one has to live in fear just because they don’t have a home.

Managing basic health needs, including menstruation and reproductive health, can also be difficult for people experiencing homelessness. Strained access to period products and private bathrooms can make routine periods difficult to manage. Many are forced to go without tampons or pads, resorting to makeshift solutions that are uncomfortable and potentially dangerous to their health. Further, without steady access to clean and private bathrooms, people can experience increased stress. Access to free menstrual products, clean facilities, and healthcare is crucial to supporting women experiencing homelessness, as health is an essential part of well-being. 

Women experiencing homelessness face complex barriers—from navigating the shelter systems and maintaining food security to overcoming stigma and discrimination within the workforce. Without adequate support in place, these problems can appear insurmountable. A gender-responsive approach to addressing homelessness means recognizing the impacts of intimate partner violence, economic inequalities and health disparities. This Women’s History Month, we hope that we can provide more understanding and acknowledgment about the challenges women experiencing homelessness have to endure. Housing justice is gender justice, and policies should prioritize stability, dignity, and safety for all women.