I could not find a written journal that related directly to the causes of homelessness, but I did find an article about housing discrimination amongst woman. The article is titled, “ Searching for Housing as a Battered Woman: Does Discrimination Affect Reported Availability of a Rental Unit?” that came from the journal source “Psychology of Women Quarterly.” The contributing authors are Paula Barata and Donna Stewart.

In this study, they are studying to see if the reports battered women have made about being discriminated from housing is true. It is an issue that has been reported dozens of times, but something that has not been examined or studied fully to determine the causes. Battered women have reported that landlords have denied them housing or wrongfully evicted them for a variety of reasons we assume. It is said that landlords turn them down more so because it is a liability. Having someone who is more likely to have a criminal record, a poor income, children, or an abusive spouse who could show up on the premises is a liability. However, due to the denial this is causing woman (and perhaps their children) to not have affordable, safe, and long-term housing, which eventually leads them to end up homeless. Throughout this study the researchers conducted 2 experiments and 1 survey. This study eventually shows that women who are battered are likely to be discriminated against for housing and that it is a real problem.

The researchers topic is focusing on battered women who have come from a variety of different types of abuse, but all who are trying to find a common goal of safe, affordable housing. They are trying to start a new life, but are having a difficult time since landlords are turning them away. The research question I believe that the researchers are asking is, “Does discrimination affect reported availability of a rental unit?” They are trying to prove whether or not it is a real problem to draw more light on this issue.

The type of data needed to answer this question is to look at the demographic data. The demographic data could help us recognize where most battered women go to find new housing. If they are in a low income area then the landlord probably would not want to have more liability for his residents then he already does. One of the data gathering methods that the researchers used was surveying. They surveyed 31 landlords to determine whether or not they would rent to battered women. They also did a controlled experiment where they had a confederate try to rent from 181 landlords, but had no job and the second experiment the confederate was employed and left a message for 92 landlords. To analyze the data the researchers qualitative analysis to look at the surveys, but also to look at the reports that were filed. They are able to compare the numbers between those landlords who were likely to rent to battered women and those who were not.

The research was researched professionally and ethically. They took a topic that has not been heavily researched before and were able to come to a conclusion about how big of a problem discriminating against battered women is. They used proper methods towards their topic, especially by surveying landlords to gain their opinions. Also by doing the 2 experiments we were able to learn how landlords would act in the situation to gain a true answer. Something that I believe my classmates would find incredibly interesting from this article is some of the responses that landlords gave for saying “no” to renting to battered women. Although a good majority said they would rent to battered women as long as they can pay there were still some who said they would not. Quite a few of the ones who said no, said no because they blamed the battered women for their own situation and that she did something wrong.

Barata, Paula C., and Donna E. Stewart. “Searching for Housing as a Battered Woman: DoesDiscrimination Affect Reported Availability of a Rental Unit?”.” Psychology of Women Quarterly34, no. 1 (March 2010): 43-55.