Wednesday, June 25, 2008
New Study Documents Brutal Impact of Homelessness on Women in Toronto
A new study has been released by Street Health and ACTEW member agency Sistering documenting the brutal impact of homelessness on the lives of women in Toronto. Calling homelessness a "life-threatening" condition for women, the study reveals staggering rates of sexual assault among homeless women, and documents health impacts that significantly reduce life expectancy.
Featured as the top story of the Toronto Star on June 23, 2008, the research finds that homeless women in Toronto are 10 times more likely to be sexually assaulted and twice as likely to have a mental illness as homeless men. Yet despite their poor health and extreme vulnerability, women aren't getting the health care and social support they urgently need.
The study, which interviewed 97 women, documented the reality that homeless women live in extreme poverty. Although few women in the study cited formal employment as a source of income, only half receive government income supports. In fact, 42% reported that they lived on $2,400 or less per year. One of the women interviewed was quoted in the report:
“You can’t get out of poverty, no matter how you try. Nothing works together. They have systems but they don’t work together. Believe me, I have tried every possible way but you can’t. For three years I’ve been going around in a circle. And I can’t get out of it. I’m very resourceful, I’m intelligent and I’m not lazy. I’m sure people give up but I keep going.”
ACTEW attended the forum on homelessness and poverty held by Sistering on June 23 and heard many other versions of this story of hopelessness. Honourable Deb Matthews also attended the event.
The new study, under “Research Bulletin #2: Women and Homelessness” can be downloaded from the Street Health web site at: http://streethealth.ca
>Read the Toronto Start article
Featured as the top story of the Toronto Star on June 23, 2008, the research finds that homeless women in Toronto are 10 times more likely to be sexually assaulted and twice as likely to have a mental illness as homeless men. Yet despite their poor health and extreme vulnerability, women aren't getting the health care and social support they urgently need.
The study, which interviewed 97 women, documented the reality that homeless women live in extreme poverty. Although few women in the study cited formal employment as a source of income, only half receive government income supports. In fact, 42% reported that they lived on $2,400 or less per year. One of the women interviewed was quoted in the report:
“You can’t get out of poverty, no matter how you try. Nothing works together. They have systems but they don’t work together. Believe me, I have tried every possible way but you can’t. For three years I’ve been going around in a circle. And I can’t get out of it. I’m very resourceful, I’m intelligent and I’m not lazy. I’m sure people give up but I keep going.”
ACTEW attended the forum on homelessness and poverty held by Sistering on June 23 and heard many other versions of this story of hopelessness. Honourable Deb Matthews also attended the event.
The new study, under “Research Bulletin #2: Women and Homelessness” can be downloaded from the Street Health web site at: http://streethealth.ca
>Read the Toronto Start article
Labels: Issues_and_Trends, Resources_and_Research
