Increased by 50% this year alone… American society ‘shocked’
40% of women aged 18 to 24 are pregnant
American society was shocked when the number of homeless women in California was calculated to be approximately 60,000. This is similar to the combined number of homeless women in three states: New York, Texas, and Florida.
According to the Guardian on the 21st (local time), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced that the number of homeless women in California, which was about 40,000 from 2015 to 2022, increased by more than 50% this year to about 60,000.
Income inequality, high housing costs, and warm weather are cited as reasons why California residents become homeless, but the biggest cause of women becoming homeless is said to be ‘violence’.
The Urban Institute, a public policy research institute, said that about 30% of homeless women in Los Angeles left their homes due to domestic violence or dating violence.
“Almost half of the women who come to our organization have experienced violence at some point in their lives,” said Hanan Scrapper, manager of the San Diego branch of the nonprofit People Assisting the Homeless.
Homeless women are easily exposed to sexual crimes. The media reported that Imson, 63, a former hotel manager, was sexually assaulted by a robber while sleeping on the streets of downtown San Diego.
In a recent study on homelessness, the University of California reported that approximately 40% of homeless women aged 18 to 24 were pregnant. Margot Kussel, a senior researcher at the University of California, said, “Homeless women with children have no place to take them, so they leave them with someone else.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Homeless Equity for Left Behind Populations Act last year to address this problem. The state government announced that it would do everything in its power to prevent homelessness among California’s vulnerable populations.
Senator Susan Rubio, who sponsored the bill, said, “Incorporating gender equality in our response to homelessness will make California a national leader.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.