The Function of Shelters for Women: Assistance or Social Control?

Abstract

Emergency shelter is an important resource for women experiencing a housing crisis. However, the outcomes are uncertain for women served within programs intended to provide relief and safety in times of crises. Are shelters more a function of social control or a function of assisting women to secure housing and employment? This article presents the findings from a study of sheltering programs in Ohio. These shelters appear to reproduce and reinforce women's place in society by requiring compliance with rules and social services that strengthen the social control of women and restrict their choices and mobility for positive housing and employment.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work practice with women
• homelessness
• shelter programs
• domestic violence