Problem addressed

Every year in France, over 200,000 women report being victims of domestic violence. Many wish to flee urgently, but cannot find a safe place to go. Emergency shelters are saturated or hard to access, especially for women with children, undocumented persons, or those outside major cities. This lack of immediate, adapted shelter options forces many to remain in dangerous environments or accept inadequate solutions.

Public systems alone cannot meet the need. There is an urgent demand for alternative, community-rooted responses that are safe, fast to deploy, and supportive of victims’ agency and dignity.

Innovative solution

Un abri qui sauve des vies offers an innovative model of citizen-led emergency shelter. We mobilise local volunteers who can host a person or a family for a few nights or a few weeks, depending on the situation.

We ensure a rigorous process of host recruitment, training, and support, including background checks, home visits, and ongoing contact. We also work hand in hand with professionals who refer victims to us and continue their follow-up.

During the stay, we act as a bridge between the host, the guest, and the professionals: we coordinate logistics, provide a listening ear, assist with transport, access to food, and appointments, and make sure safety protocols are respected. 

This model enables rapid, flexible and deeply humane shelter options for people who are often invisible in traditional systems.

Key results and benefits

Since 2020, Un abri qui sauve des vies has facilitated more than 8,500 nights of shelter for victims of domestic and family violence. Over 550 women and children have been hosted in safe, caring environments, thanks to a growing network of 1 000 volunteer hosts (abritant·e·s) across France

The organisation is active nationally and operates through local branches (antennes) in Île-de-France, Hautsde-France, Normandie, and Pays de la Loire, with a team of 400 volunteers, and a small operational team of 5 salaried staff and 3 freelancers .

The model has demonstrated high efficiency and strong impact:

- Less than 1% of hosted victims returned to their abuser, compared to a national average of 7 returns per case in traditional systems;

- Hosting is activated in an average of 24 to 72 hours, offering quick, humane alternatives to overcrowded emergency services;

- The model contributes to raising awareness and mobilising civil society against gender-based violence, with hundreds of citizens trained and actively engaged.

Potential for mainstreaming

The model developed by Un abri qui sauve des vies is highly replicable across all EU Member States, where the need for emergency housing for survivors of domestic and family violence remains urgent and widespread.

It can be adapted to local legal and institutional frameworks with minimal adjustments, particularly regarding the legal supervision of temporary hosting and coordination with referral actors.

The model is lightweight, flexible, and based on universal values: solidarity, safety, and dignity. It requires only a core coordination team, strong ties with local professionals, and a committed network of citizens.

Whether in urban or rural areas, and regardless of the maturity of existing shelter systems, this approach offers a complementary and scalable response to fill critical gaps in emergency housing for victims.

Our work is inspired by feminist and mutual aid traditions, as well as hosting practices developed during humanitarian and migration crises. We were particularly influenced by citizen-led housing movements in France and abroad, and sought to adapt their strengths to the specific needs of domestic violence survivors.