The survived experiences of victimisation amongst street homeless women

The purpose of this research was to uncover the experiences of victimisation among street homeless women. This research also addresses homeless women’s experiences with the police, victim support, fear of crime, public interactions and vulnerabilities which arguably make women more at risk of being victimised; such as sex work, mental health and substance abuse. In order to explore these experiences in detail, six semi- structured interviews were conducted on women who are currently sleeping rough or have slept rough within the previous year. Findings from this research project are in accordance to existing literature, suggesting that street homeless women become homeless for a number of reasons and often become involved in high risk activities making them defenceless and resulting in victimisation. An unforeseen finding was that the police put women who sleep rough at further danger, causing them more fear whilst sleeping on the streets. This is a consequence of moving the women away from city centres into areas with limited lighting and cameras, which were mentioned by many of the participants as factors which contributed to their safety. More concerning, was the lack of reporting crimes to the police and the absence of victim support offered when participants did report the crimes. Suggesting that the homeless are not given the true status and rights of being a victim