A safe place : effectiveness of domestic violence shelters and their impact on clients seeking help

Abstract

This research project is an outcome evaluation of one domestic violence shelter’s services. I ask the question: “Do shelter services impact client independence after shelter stay?” Traits and commonalities of intimate partner violence survivors are discussed. I provide an overview of shelters and evaluations in general, focusing specifically on “SafePlace”, a domestic violence shelter in a small southeastern city. Services provided to 164 resident shelter clients are compared to client housing after shelter stay. T-test and logistic regression analyses provide some evidence that shelter stay has an impact on clients’ future independence. Limitations and future directions for research are discussed, placing emphasis on the need for theory-driven and comprehensive data collection systems to make shelter evaluations possible.