Journalist Gives Voice to Canada’s Homeless Women

Everyone has a story. Susan Scott, a journalist and activist, has listened to the stories of homeless people all over Canada in an effort to make their voices heard.

For her book, All Our Sisters: Stories of Homeless Women in Canada, Scott traveled across the nation and interviewed over 60 homeless women. The book details many of the hardships these women face and addresses the fact that, because they live in circumstances that are often overlooked, they’re largely ignored in formal homeless statistics. They may live with violent partners or pimps, in intolerable dwellings; or “couch surf,” sleeping on the couches of family, friends or strangers for a few days at a time.

Scott spoke about these issues as a keynote speaker at Growing Home: Housing and Homelessness in Canada, a conference that was hosted by the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary, from February 18-20, 2009. Scott says, “It was a great way to survey the homeless scene in Canada – from research to services to real-life stories. I’m hoping that such a collaborative effort will galvanize some action and generate solutions to this social issue.”

Social work professor Dr. Christine Walsh points out that historically the term ‘homelessness’ referred to transient single men with mental health and addiction issues. She and Scott both think that society still defines women by their looks, the way they raise children and the type of home they possess. Walsh believes women are aware of this narrow view, and will try anything to avoid the stigma of homelessness, which often means staying in abusive relationships, or dangerous and overcrowded spaces.

Having children vastly complicates the issues surrounding homelessness. In fact, Scott noticed that apprehension of one’s children is one of the major causes of hopelessness among homeless women. Once women lose hope, they are more likely to abuse substances to cover up the pain, making it even more difficult to break the cycle of homelessness.

Walsh says, “The emotional ramifications of apprehension on mothers and children are immense.” She advocates for more female-oriented, family friendly shelters that would ensure children’s safety without isolating them from their families.

Most shelters are designed and run for men, by men, meaning very few of them are sensitive to women’s needs. If women need feminine hygiene products; have questions related to sex or pregnancy; or need to speak with someone about a sexual assault, there are few appropriate resources at mixed-sex shelters, says Scott.

While telling Scott their stories, many homeless women confided that staying at mixed shelters meant mingling with men who were once their pimps, dealers and/or abusers. She says, “It’s hard enough to get back on your feet when the people who keep pushing you down aren’t staring you in the face, or sleeping in the bed next to you.”

Of her work Scott says “I had concerns that taking the stories, the only thing these women had left, could be another violation. Yet, many of them found healing power in finally telling their stories, and for some it was the first step away from homelessness.”