Housing -Initial findings report 2003
Findings
6.1 Some Muslim LBT women feel pressure not to leave the parental home and
live alone as this is not considered respectable. Some parents try to manipulate
their daughters by making them feel guilty about wanting to leave the parental
home. For example, some parents will say that the family will be ‘shamed ’ in
the community if a woman does not live with her parents or with a husband.
Some Muslim women are also told that by leaving home they would be ruining
the chances of marriage for a younger sibling.
6.2 Young Muslim women are often isolated at home, dependent on male relatives for support and ill prepared for life independent from family. Women, particularly from poorer backgrounds, find it difficult to get the financial resources that would enable them to leave home. There are few support mechanisms for women who are forced to leave the family home or the marital home other than in situations of domestic violence. Women who are socially isolated often do not know of available hostel space or lodgings that they can access. For some young Muslim women with problems at home, it is sometimes an acceptable solution to live (temporarily) with another respected family member, such as an aunt. However, for out Muslim LBT women this is often not an option as often all family members will disapprove of her transgression of sexual and gender norms. This situation leaves many Muslim LBT women in an undesirable housing situation or even homeless.
6.3 There are not enough appropriate safe hostel spaces for women with children. Being placed in inappropriate and unsafe housing can lead to increased depression and other mental health problems.
6.4 The situation for 16-18 year olds is extremely difficult as they are neither entitled to housing benefit nor to the care provided for younger children.
6.5 Currently available information on gay and lesbian youth homelessness does not reflect the complexities and specific factors that young Muslim LBT women encounter.
6.6 According to a recent survey conducted by the Resource Information Centre, only 71 bed spaces (out of 22,249) are allocated for lesbian and gay homeless people in London. Stonewall Housing has 41 of these with only one house for black and ethnic minorities. A social worker:
Needs
6.7 There is a need for information on housing and hostel spaces to be made
available for Muslim LBT women who are homeless or need to leave home.
6.8 There is a need for more safe and appropriate hostel space and accessible housing, particularly for women with children, young people and people with limited rights due to their immigration status.
6.9 Research on homelessness needs to reflect the situations experienced by Muslim LBT women.
