Women's Refuge has raised concerns that tighter eligibility criteria for emergency housing in New Zealand are creating additional dangers for people fleeing domestic violence. The organisation's latest report draws on responses from 338 people, 290 of whom had dependent children with them in emergency or transitional housing.
The 2024 policy changes introduced stricter eligibility criteria and ongoing requirements for applicants to prove their need and demonstrate attempts to secure other housing. The changes also removed the requirement to consider whether denying emergency accommodation would worsen an applicant's position, an element that advocates say was critical for domestic violence victims.
The report notes that the period immediately after leaving an abusive partner is widely recognised as the highest-risk time for injury or death. Victims often face ongoing threats, relocation, financial hardship, and the administrative burden of proving their housing need.
Women's Refuge said the stricter rules risk leaving victims with nowhere to go. The organisation estimates that women make up around half of all people experiencing homelessness, with the latest census putting the total figure at 57,000.
The report found that the majority of survey respondents were separated from their perpetrators, and many had attempted separation more than once.