Homeless women´s emergency housing situation in the city of Gothenburg

Abstract

The aim with this study is to gain an insight into how homeless women, who already are a vulnerable group in the society, experience an even more vulnerable environment when an emergency accommodation only for women relocated and became part of an emergency accommodation where both men and women live. In order to fulfil the purpose two questions were the core of my material: How do the women get affected in a practical sense, when moved from a separate women’s emergency accommodation and become part of an emergency accommodation where both men and women live?; What are these women’s feelings and perceptions of living close to a gender mixed accommodation? This essay consists of interviews with five women who lives in an emergency accommodation in Gothenburg county. The data has been analysed using content analysis, where theoretical underpinnings from Goffman and the intersectionality theory has been used to interpret the results. The study results show that these women´s feelings are ambiguous regarding their new living location. These women experience both greater security and greater insecurity. The security they experience is based more in the physical aspects, as they now have guards around the clock and camera surveillance. The insecurity stems more from the fact that they now live so close to men. The results indicate that these women have different needs that are not met by the municipality.