I am a huge fan of John Gottman. He is a research scientist on marriage and family. Dr. Gottman works with men, women and couples to understand our differences and what makes successful marriages work.

One telling study his team conducted was to ask rooms full of men—and then women—to discuss fear.

When the men were asked if they could remember a time they were afraid, Dr. Gottman reports that they took time to think and then slowly raised their hands usually to share a story in youth when they had said too much or pushed someone too hard and gotten into a fist fight.

In comparison, when a room full of women were asked if they could remember a time of fear, they immediately raised their hands and shared that they feel consistently afraid and vulnerable, maybe as recently as their walk in from the parking lot.

And these women have good reason to be afraid. According to the United Nations, one in three women around the world has experienced sexual and/or physical violence. 

As you would expect, poor and homeless women are particularly vulnerable to violence. A new study by the California Policy Lab analyzed 65,000 vulnerability index questionnaires used to assess those prioritized for permanent supportive housing, and their work showed that the situation is even worse for women who are living on the streets.

When comparing the vulnerability of men and women living in shelter, the vulnerability outcomes are very similar, with a mean length of homelessness of approximately one year for all people. But when you compare men and women sleeping outdoors, women are much more likely to report physical and mental illness as well as trauma. The mean length of homelessness for men sleeping outdoors is six years, while that of women is 16 years. 

Unfortunately, this increased need for services to women on the streets has not been addressed in Louisville. Because men make up a larger subset of the homeless (representing 74%), they have much greater access to services, including day and night shelter. This is beginning to change with the addition of a new day shelter for women, UP for Women and Children.

But we need to make additional changes to really meet the need of this very vulnerable population:

1) Because our Continuum of Care says that the greatest priority is to serve the most vulnerable, we should provide additional points to the assessments of women and the transgender population to allow them to access permanent housing and move from the streets more quickly.

2) We need to create outreach teams that are prepared to identify and address the high rates of trafficking on the streets and work to help women access treatment and care versus being arrested for crimes associated with survival practices.

3) We need more overnight shelter for women so they can move quickly from the streets where their vulnerability is so much greater to shelter where they are safer. This may even mean a transition of some shelter beds from serving men to women in addition to new beds for women.

4) We need to provide additional support to UP for Women and Children in order to help them increase their hours, space and services. They are in great need of funding and more volunteers in order to address the needs of so many women in need. You can help by visiting their website.

We have ignored the desperate needs of vulnerable women too long. Please help support this great cause.

Natalie

About Us

The Coalition for the Homeless's mission is to prevent and end homelessness in Louisville through advocacy, education, and the coordination of our 30 member agencies. We have been the lead advocate for Louisville's homeless since 1986, when we were founded by community leaders after several people died on Louisville's streets.

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Thank you so much for your continued support!

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