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Review
. 2026 Jan 28.
doi: 10.1007/s11524-025-01040-4. Online ahead of print.

Sexual Violence against Women Experiencing Homelessness: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reina Granados  1 , Elena García-Luengo Rodríguez  2 , Amparo Díaz-Román  3 , Carmen Hererra-Espiñeira  1 , Adelina Martín-Salvador  1
Affiliations
Review

Sexual Violence against Women Experiencing Homelessness: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reina Granados et al. J Urban Health. .

Abstract

The proportion of women experiencing homelessness is increasing, a phenomenon often referred to as the feminization of homelessness. Sexual violence is a key factor associated with women's pathways into and experiences of homelessness. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the prevalence of sexual violence among women experiencing homelessness and compared it with that of housed women and men experiencing homeless. Twenty-one studies published up to March 2023 were included, and five meta-analyses were conducted. Results indicated that approximately 40% of women experiencing homelessness had suffered sexual violence at some point in their lives-a prevalence significantly higher than that observed among housed women and among men experiencing homeless. These findings highlight the urgent need for gender-sensitive housing policies and trauma-informed interventions to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of women experiencing homelessness.

Keywords: Homelessness; Meta-analysis; Sexual violence; Systematic review; Violence against women.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Registration: This study was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42024605682).

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