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5 <br />"MEETING SURVIVORS' NEEDS: AMULTI-STATE STUDY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER <br />EXPERIENCES", Eleanor Lyon & Shannon Lane, University of Connecticut School of Social Work and <br />Anne Menard, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, October, 2008, Prepared for National <br />Institute of Justice, Grant #2007-U-CS-K022 <br />Abstract <br />This study of domestic violence shelters in eight states was designed to help fill a gap in <br />current knowledge about the range of services provided, the needs and experiences of survivors <br />who have turned to shelters for help,. and the types of help they received. Research goals included <br />obtaining a large and diverse sample of survivors and shelter programs, so that meaningful <br />comparisons of services, immediate outcomes, and experiences could be conducted by presence of <br />children, age, education, race/ethnicity and other characteristics of survivors, while also taking <br />shelter program capacity into account. <br />Data were collected during asix-month period from 3,410 residents of 215 domestic <br />violence shelters-81% of the shelters in the eight states. The states were chosen to maximize <br />geographical, population, rural/ urban and economic diversity. Programs provided information <br />about their capacity (number of beds and staff) and the services they offered; Census data were <br />also collected about the region served by the shelter. Shelter residents were asked to complete a <br />written survey at or near entrance (Shelter 1), and again at or near exit (Shelter 2). All study <br />materials were translated into eleven languages to increase accessibility. Both surveys asked about <br />38 different possible needs; Shelter 1 also addressed initial impressions and concerns, while Shelter <br />2 also addressed immediate outcomes, difficulties experienced during the stay, and the respect and <br />support survivors had received from shelter staff. <br />Data from programs showed that they ranged greatly in capacity: a range of 4 to 102 beds, <br />1.25 to 99 FTE staff, and had sheltered 2 to 2,300 adults and 1 to 1,242 children in the past year. <br />The median maximum length of stay was two months. Across shelters staff could speak 37 different <br />languages; 72% had staff who were bi-lingual in Spanish. Ninety-eight percent could accommodate <br />at least one type of disability. <br />Respondents reported that if the shelter did not exist the consequences for them would be <br />dire: homelessness, serious losses including children, continued abuse or death, or actions taken in <br />desperation. Their primary needs at entry were safety, housing, information, emotional support, <br />and help for their children. At exit, after a median length of stay of 22 days (27 for mothers) <br />respondents reported a larger number of needs than they had identified at entry. They also <br />indicated that their needs had largely been met. Although over half reported some kind of difficulty <br />during their stay, such as conflicts with others or problems with rules, most of the problems were <br />resolved. At least two-thirds strongly agreed with every rating of staff respect and support, and 95% <br />4 <br />