Homeless In The City
Is anyone surprised by the results of a new study that find homeless women in Toronto are 80 percent more likely to be sexually assaulted or have a mental illness, than homeless men?
Women in our society, overall, are more vulnerable than men. Homeless women, with no protection or perhaps access to assistance, would be more vulnerable still. These studies would be ridiculous except that they bring the issue to light. I find that few people want to talk about homelessness because it’s a downright scary proposition and we – the average Joes and Janes – feel helpless because there’s nothing tangible or immediate that we can do to help, except perhaps buy a homeless person a sandwich or a cup of coffee.
Before she began anchoring the evening news on Global, Caroline MacKenzie was a reporter there and I vividly recall her assignment of posing as a homeless woman in downtown Toronto. She had a hidden camera and microphone which captured the sick propositions that were made to her in exchange for money or a meal. One guy went so far as to tell her that after he got what he wanted, he’d do whatever she wanted for her! He wasn’t timid or nervous. It appeared he had done this before. And a homeless woman with no money and no hope might just feel despondent enough to go for such an offer. As I watched the report, I found myself thinking, “RUN!” and hoping the reporter would do so! She did not. I sent Caroline an email to congratulate her on her bravery. To her, it was just another day on the job and at the end of that day, she went back to her comfortable home.
I don’t claim to know the solution but to think that people are being beaten, sexually abused and suffering from mental illness while having no home to call their own, always makes me sad. I don’t think there is just one solution. The reasons are as infinite as the personalities of the people themselves. But I do know that the results of so many D’oh! studies aren’t really helping anyone – save for creating discussion, like this one.
