Shelters play a crucial role in providing support and protection for thousands of Swedish women each year who face threats and violence in intimate relationships. The non-profit women's shelter movement has historically been the primary provider of assistance to victims of domestic violence. This movement began in Sweden in the late 1970s and has since offered support and, later, shelter to women and children affected by violence. The movement has been a strong advocate for women's rights and has framed men's violence against women as a political issue. However, in the past decade, there has been a notable shift in the organisation of shelters. Increased political interest in supporting abused women has led to expanded welfare services. As a result of political reforms, shelters have become more formalised and professionalised. DV shelter is no longer solely operated by non-profit women's shelters; instead, it has transformed into a service available in the welfare market, where non-profit organisations compete with new private, profit-making entities for social service placements in shelters. This study reviews government records from the 1980s to the present to explore the causes of this shift, its implications for the women's shelter movement, and how it affects the accessibility of shelters for abused women. Our findings indicate that the role of shelters has changed significantly, and public policy has disrupted the shelter movement. 

Kvinnojourerna i Sverige kännetecknas av att de både erbjuder stöd och skydd för våldsutsatta kvinnor och driver frågan om mäns våld mot kvinnor politiskt. Således har de haft en viktig roll i den svenska demokratin. Kvinnojoursrörelsens demokratiska roll har dock förändrats och står nu inför utmaningar. Genom en reflexiv tematisk analys (Braun & Clarke, 2022) av statliga policydokument från 1980 till 2024, undersöks hur den statliga politiken för våld i nära relationer, och gentemot kvinnojourerna, har utvecklats över tid. Resultaten visar hur kvinnojourerna har gått från att ha en avgörande roll i arbetet mot mäns våld mot kvinnor till idag, där insatsen skyddat boende erbjuds som en tjänst på välfärdsmarknaden. Utvecklingen har lett till framsteg för exempelvis kvaliteten i skyddade boenden, men den har också bidragit till en avpolitisering av delar av rörelsen.

Based on interviews with 16 mothers in Sweden, we discuss the mother's experiences of shelter and what they think is good quality, with a focus on how it has been for their children and themselves as mothers. The quality of the housing environment, services, structure, and access to support varies greatly between shelters. Some were described as perceiving children only as appendages to the mother, whereas others adopted a more holistic family oriented approach. Relief for the mothers is important to benefit from support and help and to function as mothers.

Based on interviews with 16 mothers exposed to violence, we discuss the mother's experiences of shelter and what they think is good quality in shelter, with a focus on how they think it has been for their children and themselves connected to their role as mothers. The thematic analysis reveals a complex and contradictory picture of shelters, where the quality of the housing environment, services, structure, and access to support varies greatly between shelters. Some shelters were described as perceiving children only as an appendage to the mother, with no specific adjustments or services provided to the children, whereas others adopted a more holistic family-oriented approach where children's needs were perceived as equal to those of the mothers. The possibility of relief for the mothers is an important part of being able to benefit from support and help and to be able to function as mothers despite all the difficulties that shelter entails.

The aim of this paper is to explore how the marketisation of welfare shapes the organisation and provision of shelter services for victims of intimate partner violence. It does so by examining understandings of quality among senior shelter officials in Sweden, a context increasingly shaped by New Public Management reforms, where non-profit, for-profit, and public shelters compete for public funding. Based on interview data, three primary themes emerged: shelter environment, services provided, and the shelter workforce. Most officials stressed the need for a secure, dignified, and home-like setting, but differences also surfaced. Non-profit representatives emphasised counselling for long-term well-being, empowerment, and sustained support, while for-profit officials focused more on collaboration with residents. A recurring topic was prioritising professional staff over volunteers, signalling broader professionalisation trends within shelter work. Concerns were raised about how this shift might impact values traditionally upheld by non-profit shelters. The paper then initiates a critical discussion on how market forces might influence the construction of quality in shelters, with particular attention to non-profits' financial situation, advocacy work, and core mission. Finally, it underscores the need for further research on marketisation and non-profit shelters, both in Sweden and internationally, in light of evolving welfare systems.

People in homelessness face significant health inequities, with tri-morbidity, exposure to violence, substance use- and post-traumatic stress disorder. The aim of this scoping review was to describe treatments for trauma-related conditions for persons in homelessness. Systematic searches were performed in three databases: PubMed, PsycInfo and Scopus, guided by the PRISMA checklist. Nine studies fulfilled the criteria and were included in the review. Results show no randomized studies specifically focusing on treatment of trauma-related conditions for people in homelessness. Studies described interventions or programs that focused on consolidating and developing participants’ own strengths and skills to better navigate life with the challenges of homelessness, trauma, and PTSD. Treatment of trauma-related conditions may have positive effects for people in homelessness, as for others. Multimodal treatments, developing personal strengths and skills for people in homelessness, show potential to decrease trauma symptoms, however, more robust studies are needed for inferences and recommendations.