In France and in the United States, some of the shelters, which support and protect survivors of domestic violence, are by-products of the 1970’s feminist movement. While shelters’ staff are hired as service providers – and not as feminist activists --, they may align to feminist values and become aware of gender inequalities. Indeed, shelters’ working practices are infused with feminism, and they cultivate a feminist heritage. Although they do feminism in practice, shelters’ advocates do not always identify as feminists or to the feminist movement. This relationship to feminism is shaped by political and institutional contexts, which are best highlighted through transnational comparison. By comparing French and American cases, this presentation shows how feminist ideas circulate in shelters, but also how advocates resist to endorsing a feminist identity.
