Who Gets Hurt: Sexual Exploitation Among Women During Episodes of Homelessness

Abstract

While the issue of homelessness has been heavily researched, the relationship between sexual assault among women experiencing homelessness remains an underacknowledged subject. Moreover, although both sexual assault and homelessness detrimentally affect a wide range of individuals and communities, the intersection of these two issues impact women in unique ways. Sexual violence as experienced by women experiencing housing insecurity severely challenges their physical, emotional, and social capacity to lead a life in which their humanity is fully respected. Therefore, in an effort to better understand and address the intersection of homelessness and sexual violence among women, it is crucial to acknowledge the unique harms that emerge from these compounding issues that impact a significant number of American women. This analysis will delve into the pervasiveness of homelessness and sexual assault among women and explore social structural factors that potentially contribute to such injustices. This analysis will also propose recommendations, guided by the principle of nonmaleficence, that seek to address the immediate harms that women experience at the intersection of these specific vulnerabilities. Fundamentally, this discussion is grounded in a deep regard and respect for the people at the center of this issue and attempts to discuss how we may work to rectify the injustices that have been and currently are being inflicted on members of society. [From Introduction]