Council housing estates in the United Kingdom have been portrayed in the media as dangerous and unlawful spaces. On the strength of this picture, government leaders have approved the destruction of thousands of low rent homes.
Some people’s experience of council housing is different. Dr. Mhairi Ross is one of those people. She grew up in Easterhouse, a suburb of Glasgow, where thousands of council homes were built starting in the 1950s. Her PhD research studied the experiences of single mothers living at Easterhouse during the 1980’s.
Ross notes that the 1980’s coincide with growing public awareness of domestic violence. During this period, changes in government policy allowed survivors of violence to obtain/continue tenancies in council housing. Women who were council housing tenants were able to live in safety and stability.
This is just one aspect of Dr. Ross’s research, which she is beginning to share. For other findings, check out this interview with Dr. Ross, which is posted at CACHE: Tales from Easterhouse: Understanding The Resilience Of Lone Mothers Across Generations
