Topic: Violence and abuse

Shelters: Changes in clientele composition at shelters

 
2008 This project has been completed 2010

Project Members

  • Skogøy, Elin
  • Jonassen, Wenche

Main objective

This surveys’ aim is to investigate the changes seen in clientele composition at shelters which entailed an increase of clients with minority ethnic background and a decrease in ethnic Norwegians, and what has caused this change and how this is associated with the two different groups need for help, information, and follow-up.

The main objective is to find out how well these shelters provide help for their clients. To answer this question the project focused on the following

  • changes in clientele composition that has occurred 
  • causal factors explaining these changes
  • the consequences these changes should have on both management of shelters and for assistance services in general. The project also raises the question of how both clients and shelter employees’ view employing male co-workers at shelters

Method

Acquiring data and method:
The project focused on six shelters; two of the shelters have a majority of ethnic minority female clients, two have a majority of ethnic Norwegian female clients, and two shelters have approximately the same number of women from both groups. 40-50 clients will be interviewed and 10-15 shelter employees will be interviewed. There following will also be used; SSB population statistics, shelters’ statistics’ and results from an omnibus survey on women’s’ attitudes about seeking help at shelters.

Further information

The project was assigned by the Ministry of Children, Equality and Social inclusion

Publications

Jonassen, W., & Skogøy, E. (2010). “Et hjem for oss, et hjem for deg”: En kartlegging om endringer i brukersammensetningen og bruk av krisesentrene [“A home for us, a home for you..” A study of change in user population and use of shelters for battered women.] Norwegian only. Oslo: Nasjonalt kunnskapssenter om vold og traumatisk stress. (Rapport 1/2010).