1. Forced to flee or Safe to settle?
The extent and implications of women’s
journeys in response to domestic violencejourneys in response to domestic violence
Background
This poster reports on early stages of a PhD research project, mapping the journeys of women in response to
domestic violence, and exploring the meanings and implications of such journeys.
This process of internal displacement within the UK raises issues for policy makers and practitioners concerning the
capacity and location of services; and the conception of women’s journeys as forced migration also allows insightscapacity and location of services; and the conception of women’s journeys as forced migration also allows insights
and learning from the experiences of other migrants and other diasporas.
Methods and initial results
The research includes carrying out quantitative and spatialThe research includes carrying out quantitative and spatial
analysis on a database of women who accessed services due to
domestic violence.
• The map on the left indicates the journeys of 93 women (61%
with children) to a single refuge in 2007-08.
• Women’s journeys are being analysed in terms of
distance, and relating this to individual demographic
characteristics (such as age, ethnic origin, disability
and whether they had children).and whether they had children).
• The map on the right indicates the overall flows to and from
English Local Authorities in 2008-09: a total of 18,812 women
(53.9% with children).
• This enables analysis of characteristics of place –
whether a higher proportion of women leave or
arrive in particular local authorities, or rural or
urban areas, or more deprived areas, for example.
The implications of such journeys from place to place will beThe implications of such journeys from place to place will be
explored in qualitative interviews with women.
Women’s individual experiences will be contextualised in
relation to the quantitative and spatial analysis; and in
relation to concepts of forced migration, women’s agency and
rights, and journeys of exile and diaspora.
Forced to flee or Safe to settle?
The extent and implications of women’s
journeys in response to domestic violencejourneys in response to domestic violence
This poster reports on early stages of a PhD research project, mapping the journeys of women in response to
domestic violence, and exploring the meanings and implications of such journeys.
This process of internal displacement within the UK raises issues for policy makers and practitioners concerning the
capacity and location of services; and the conception of women’s journeys as forced migration also allows insightscapacity and location of services; and the conception of women’s journeys as forced migration also allows insights
and learning from the experiences of other migrants and other diasporas.
The research includes carrying out quantitative and spatial
Initial conclusions
• A large number of women (often with children)The research includes carrying out quantitative and spatial
analysis on a database of women who accessed services due to
indicates the journeys of 93 women (61%
distance, and relating this to individual demographic
characteristics (such as age, ethnic origin, disability
• A large number of women (often with children)
are moving considerable distances within the UK
in response to domestic violence.
• This research is an innovative empirical study of
this internal migration, intending to measure and
visualise the social processes.
• Initially it appears that women are travelling
from a wide range of locations and in all
directions - the majority of Local Authorities have
indicates the overall flows to and from
09: a total of 18,812 women
urban areas, or more deprived areas, for example.
The implications of such journeys from place to place will be
directions - the majority of Local Authorities have
similar numbers of women arriving and leaving.
• More detailed quantitative analysis will identify
any association between journey directions and
distances and women’s demographic
characteristics.
• Interviews will explore the practical and
emotional implications of the journeys women are
making.
Janet Bowstead - Research Student
Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit,
London Metropolitan University.
e-mail: j.bowstead@londonmet.ac.uk
tel: +44 (0)20 7133 5014
The implications of such journeys from place to place will be
relation to concepts of forced migration, women’s agency and
Project funded by
the Economic and
Social Research
Council
Poster produced
November 2010
making.