Empowering Women Through the Design of Domestic Violence Shelters

According to a report published by The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey in 2017, one in four women are sexually assaulted, physically assaulted and/or stalked by an intimate partner. According to the same survey, these women feel fearful, unsafe and show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Supportive housing, in the form of domestic violence shelters, provide these women with a physical environment to combat their situation and to promote their future independence (Pable, 2013, p. 269; Phenice, L. & Griffore, R., 2013). Environmental factors can have an impact on women\u27s psychological sense of safety in this time of transition (Mills, 1996, p. 263; Wells, 2007, p. 75; Pable, 2012, p. 9). The environment also plays a role in the perception of connection or separation from public life and their ability to have a sense of community (Kemp, 2001; Nemiroff, Aubrey, & Klodawsky, 2011, p. 1004-1005). There are noted strategies for designing for a sense of security (Valentine, 1990; Rutledge, n.d.; ArchDaily, 2018), but there is limited documented evidence how users of these spaces perceive their effectiveness. These questions are explored through a current research project that includes an in-depth literature review and focused interviews with staff members associated with crisis centers as well as professionals in related fields to determine environmental factors and their effectiveness. The intention of the literature review and the qualitative method of research is to better inform designers of issues associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) and how to design for their empowerment