The power of photos: empowering homeless women to share their stories

What is it about?

Researchers investigating women’s homelessness need to ensure the research process is not retraumatising. This paper proposes a theoretical framework that combines self-determination theory (SDT) and photo-elicitation to guide research conducted with women who are at risk of negative effects of power imbalances and retraumatisation in research.

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Why is it important?

The framework offers new opportunities to sensitively study women’s homelessness by leveraging a strengths-based premise and empowering procedures to increase women’s control in the research process. Embedding this method within the SDT research framework repositions women from objects of research to being competent, autonomous, active and empowered agents in the research process.