Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of a Life Course Framework to Prevent Victimization Recurrence Among Traumatized Homeless Women

Author Information

Alexandra Schloesser
David Alatorre

Abstract/Description

The present study examines the effects of services on women that are rendered by a transitional homeless shelter, Ozanam Manor in Phoenix, Arizona. Specifically, the study aimed to ascertain whether these services have yielded discernible improvements in the circumstances of homeless women. Additionally, the study sought to determine whether certain subgroups of homeless women derive greater benefits from the services provided in comparison to others. The study employed a life-course theory to elucidate whether homeless women who have received assistance from the shelter have acquired the skills to effectively navigate and cope with adverse life circumstances, thereby mitigating the risk of experiencing further victimization. The data has been drawn from three in-depth interviews of individuals who graduated from Ozanam Manor. The study applied a qualitative approach that employed a naturalistic perspective to examine the experiences of three formerly homeless women. The primary objective was to gain insight into whether the services offered by Ozanam Manor have improved the women’s ability to cope with adverse life events recounted by participants after successfully graduating from the shelter.

Note on the Author

Alexandra Schloesser (she/her) is a 2024 graduate who majored in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. Her research was completed in the summer of 2023 under the mentorship of Dr. Francisco Alatorre (Department of Criminal Justice) and made possible with funding provided by an Adrian Tinsley Program summer research grant. Alexandra presented this research at the 2023 StARS Conference and was accepted to present at the 2024 National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC) at Harvard. Alexandra plans to seek work as a victim advocate and then possibly pursue further research focusing on Victimology.

David Alatorre (he/him) is majoring in Management with a concentration in Information Systems. His research was completed in the summer of 2023 under the mentorship of Dr. Uma Shama (Department of Mathematics) and made possible with funding provided by an Adrian Tinsley Program summer research grant. David presented this research at the 2023 StARS Conference, as well as at the 2024 National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC) at Harvard and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in California. After graduation from BSU in May 2025, he plans to get his master's in cybercrime.

Recommended Citation

Schloesser, Alexandra and Alatorre, David (2024). Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of a Life Course Framework to Prevent Victimization Recurrence Among Traumatized Homeless Women. Undergraduate Review, 18, 276-287.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/undergrad_rev/vol18/iss1/29

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