The Young and The Homeless
by Michelle Bell
How does homelessness occur?
Homelessness is normally a last resort "solution"to whatever the issue is. Some kids will do it because of at home abuse. It'll cause them to run away from the (sexual) abuse and to what they think will be better. Others do it because they have been kicked out and they simply don't really have any other choice. There are many other reasons beside these though, such as homophobia (discrimination) and poverty. The kids end up homeless because they don't feel supported and loved, this is why they run away, seeking a better life. A lot of homeless youth are classified as bad kids, but they are really just trying to survive.
Physical Abuse
Kids being physically abused at home is a big cause that leads to homelessness. For example, Twitch was abused by his step father, which was proably a huge reason as to why he had left home in the first place. 70% of homeless youth have been abuse. This is one of the main reasons youth end up running away from home, and theres really only one way to stop this. Children shouldn't be pushed out of their home or feel forced out of their homes because of the abuse. We need to protect the children before it gets this carried away.
Sexual Abuse
In 2002, US Department of Health and Human Services did a survey. It came out as 20-41% of teens had been sexually abused. But these were only the sititstics for run aways. The survey showed that only 1-3% of teens had been sexually abused. Jenna, among other youth, run away to escape this type of abuse. They no longer stand for getting sexually abused by people who "love them". Some people might even see it as Jenna does. She sees it as she's doing the same thing she was doing at home, but now she's doing it as a job. She's doing it to survive.
Forced Out
Many kids are actually forced out of their homes. Like Dylan, parents with kids that they believe are burdens will simply kick them out onto the streets. A huge 50% of parents know there child is on the street (in some cases told them to leave) and they don't care. This could possibly ruin a child's life, giving them so many more obstacles and forcing them to grow up before they should. At the age of 15 Dylan had to learn how to fen for himself and keep himself safe. No child should have to go through that.
Problems with Youth Homelessness
Some common problems youth face are unemployment, sex slavery, and being uneducated. These types of issues lead them to stay on the street or give them a much harder life if they do get out. Or in some cases, they could end up dead. These are real issues that over 10 000 youths face, just in Toronto alone.
Unemployment
Just like Dylan, 77% of homeless youth have no jobs. This makes it very hard to get off the street. They can't get a home because they have no job but they can't get a job because they have no home. This is a very deadly cycle for a lot of teen youth, this doesn't bring them any closer to getting off the street or getting them to safety. It leads them into the dangerous acts of prostitution and drug dealing. Almost a fifth of Canadians believe that homeless people are simply lazy, and a quarter think they put them self in the situation. That is a stigma that needs to be changed.
Sex Slavery
Jenna is part of the 33% of homeless youth that will be forced into the sex industry. Sometimes it's what they do for money and sometimes -like in Jenna's situation- someone might be giving you a home and food; a life. This is such a common way of life that HIV rates are 3-9 times higher for homeless people. Twitch's life is a strong example of this issue. A grown man is giving a vulnerable young adult safety, and taking full advantage of him. It's an incredibly hard community to get out of once you're in there.
Uneducated
65% of homeless youth are unable to finish high school, like Jenna and Dylan. School may help them in the long run but it's far too difficult for a child to go to school and try to get enough money to get food for the night. With no high school diploma this can make being off the street a lot harder. Once they are off the street with no education, it will be incredibly hard to get a regular job. Unless, like Dylan, someone can help you out. Many youth don't get the same opportunities Dylan did. people that help him out or push him to do better. A lot of kids are giving a few dimes and that's it, nothing to help with their future.
Bibliography
"Facts & Stats." Canada's Covenant House. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
"11 Facts About Homeless Teens." Do Something. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
Goodyear, Sarah. "How Little Things Add Up to Keep Homeless Kids From School." CityLab. N.p., 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
O'Grady, Bill, and Stephan Graetz. "Why Do Young People Become Homeless?" Homeless Hub. N.p., 2009. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
"Youth Without Shelter." Facts and Figures. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.