Homeless women in the United States have become a topic of considerable debate as modern institutions seek to aid these women. This study will analyse the homeless women issue in America with the focus on the resources available as well as how these resources are employed. Alongside the ability to generate a valid response to the on-going issue, the plight of homeless women in the United States is often plagued by uneven or substandard responses. This essay will evaluate the evidence presented and produce a credible answer as to the efficacy and seriousness of the American effort to alleviate the issue of homeless women in the nation.
Beginning with an overview of the efforts leading up to the modern era will enable the creation of a reasonable foundation upon which to build. Following this section with an analysis of current policy as well as the success or failure of the implementation rate will illustrate to what extent the United States government is prioritising the issue surrounding the women. The combination of the initial sections will produce a reliable and reasonable recommendation as to the response effort in the United States as well as the potential for future progress or setbacks in the field.
In the end, this essay will have considered past action, modern implementation and future potential with the stated goal of assessing the American response to the issue of homeless women.
Homeless women in America
A homeless woman in the American society is defined as a person that lacks a form of fixed or regular, as well as adequate night time residence (Nationalhomeless.org 1). Homeless women using public or private shelters in order to attain temporary shelter is another form of lifestyle that is considered homeless. Despite the perception of sanctuaries being available for the homeless women, only the modern era has brought about an effective support infrastructure (Nationalhomeless.org 1). This continual evolution is essential in the on-going drive to keep up with and provide credible resources for the homeless women living in the United States.
Studies conducted over the course of generations have found that the male population is more susceptible to being homeless, over the female (Nationalhomeless.org 2). However, the percentage of homeless women with children far exceeds that of the male, indicating the presence of emotional issues in the initial fall to the homeless level. A primary sector that commonly produces homeless women is those that find themselves the victims of domestic violence (Nationalhomeless 2). Modern statistics demonstrate that a large percentage of the homeless female population had to choose to live on the street or stay in an abusive relationship. This has been recognized as a serious and growing issue in the United States with much modern legislation focused on reducing the violent influences that drive so many of these women to run (Nationalhomeless 3).
Women veterans of the United States armed forces have been found to be far more likely to become homeless that those that have not served (Washington, Yano, McGuire, Hines, Lee and Gelberg 82). This is a powerful indication that the training received during the time in the armed forces makes re-entry into the civilian population a hard thing to accomplish. The basic characteristics of the homeless women included unemployed, disabled, bad health, anxiety or related disorder, or victims of sexual assault (83). This data has been found to be an effective indication of the potential for the person to become homeless, making the application potential very high.
The homeless share basic needs that include affordable house, a credible source of income and a suitable form of healthcare (Nationalhomeless 4). This series of needs must be met in order to build a sustainable system that is capable of taking care of not only the current generation of women, but the growing number that the next generation will continue to bring as the world wide population continues to rise. Jasinski (161) argues that the current efforts to provide resources for homeless women are falling far short of the realistic needs necessary to achieve any form of lasting progress. A primary pillar for homeless women are the welfare rolls, which in turn have been deemed to be far too small to support anyone, especially those that find themselves with children. During times of economic stress the homeless are among the first to feel the cutback and lack of support (Jasinski 30). Those that are in the weakest levels of the social structure, in this case homeless women, are often powerless to prevent the system from removing any and all protections given them during times of financial crisis. The modern recession has demonstrated this very principle in the wholesale reduction of the resources available to women’s shelters and public facilities on every level of the American society (Jasinski 160). Combined with the issue of adequate access to the facilities, many homeless in America find themselves in a very untenable situation.
Among the groups of homeless women, the issue of pregnancy is a substantial factor that must be addressed (Richards, Merrrill and Baksh 438). The younger set of homeless women was far more likely to be without health care for themselves or their infants, creating an even more complicated resource issue. Associated factors that are common among the homeless can potentially contribute to poor health, which in turns becomes an epidemic as more women find themselves in need of medical services but unable to afford them. The poverty level conditions for the mothers often preclude the ability to sustain their offspring in a manner that is both nurturing and healthy (Richards, Merrill and Baksh 438). Sick mothers that have ill babies are only a further issue that must be addressed within the American welfare system. Underlying this factor is the very real fact that homeless women are far more likely to be pregnant that those that have a home (Crawford, Trotter, Hartshom and Whitbeck 173).
Donley (3) illustrates that there is a wide variety of perceptions regarding homeless women in the United States. With race becoming a major factor in the reaction of the population to the poverty stricken, the ability to discriminate at this level of society becomes a further component that must be addressed. Among the African American population, the reaction to homeless women enjoys only a slightly better attitude than that of the male criminal element (Donley 3). This social perception of the homeless as something to be feared or put in a box is a constant hindrance in the efforts to create a nationwide program that has the means to make difference. This same view by the public often equates the state of homelessness with crime, both large and small (Donley 16). Alongside this approach will be an unfair element of bias regardless of the truth of the matter. The ability to see a woman that is basically defenceless allows the less ethical to take advantage of their position to infer that these homeless are less than a positive member of society.
Over the course of the past generation the American government has had a mixed record when addressing the homeless women issue (Donley 49). Often depending on the person holding the presidential office, the resources dedicated to the benefit of the homeless women in America has at one point been very good, while not long after, the very same funding mechanism was reduced to near extinction. This variable becomes a continuous hindrance as the people that truly need the assistance are forced to wait on the winds of change or luck to provide them with an opportunity to have a safe haven (Donley 49). Within the federal system there is wide difference of opinion on the correct avenue to take in order to alleviate the problem in the most effective manner. In in the city of Los Angeles the local government is known to refer to the area known as Skid Row, where many of the homeless reside, as the homeless containment area (Donley 49). This indicates that in the region, the solution is to contain the issue rather than provide means for the women to ascend in society. Further, as the recession has forced many cities to reduce overall funding, many of the areas previously allowed to the underclass are being reclaimed by the city in order to create a business element. Although there is a serious effort to address the issue homeless women on a state and federal level, the ability to do so effectively is continually in doubt, making any long term planning hazardous (Donley 50).
In Conclusion
The plight of homeless women in America is truly a crisis that must be addressed. This study has examined evidence that supports the argument that there is a real and growing need to supply ample resources to the poorest of the Americans. With modern shelters and welfare programs not being able to provide a healthy means of living, the system must find a method in which to bring these women into a better state of life choice. Alongside primary issues such as abuse and pregnancy, the variables are both difficult and long term. As a consequence the policy put in place must be inclusive and adaptable.
In the end, there must be a further evolution of social programs in the United States that recognizes and address both pregnancy and abuse in a manner that promotes trust and growth. It will be a combination of ethical legislation, social acceptance and hard work for every one that will enable the incorporation of these lower strata into the more beneficial spheres of the American culture.
Works cited
Donley, Amy Melissa. The perception of homeless people. Orlando, Fla.: University of Central Florida, 2008. Print.
Jasinski, Jana L. Hard lives, mean streets. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 2010. Print. pp. 1-200.
Muse.jhu.edu. "Project MUSE - Risk Factors for Homelessness among Women Veterans." 2010. Web. 26 Jun 2013. <http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hpu/summary/v021/21.1.washington.html>.
Nationalhomeless.org. "National Coalition for the Homeless." 2009. Web. 26 Jun 2013. <http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/who.html>. pp. 1-3.
Richards, Rickelle, Ray Merrill and Lauie Baksh. "Health Behaviors and Infant Health Outcomes in Homeless Pregnant Women in the United States." Paediatrics, 128. 3 (2011): 438-446. Print.
