A report issued by UK based charity Women’s Aid has found that a substantial proportion of women escaping domestic abuse are being forced to sleep rough due to difficulty in gaining access to shelter through the national domestic violence helpline. In addition to this, of the 264 women surveyed, 46% were forced to sofa-surf during their wait for a refuge space, while 21 women gave up their search entirely and stayed with their abuser. Women’s Aid states that most women who suffer abuse cannot register as homeless, due to statutory regulations, and therefore are exempt from receiving the associated housing benefits that pay for shelter.  For more information, see here.