Since 2013 Logifem has participated in a committee organized by the Table des groupes de femmes de Montréal to examine issues related to homelessness as experienced by women in the city, using the word “homeless” to incorporate anyone whose housing situation is fragile.
Following a conference that took place in March 2015 with theme of fighting the invisibility of female homelessness, the committee is now working on a statement that diverse groups working in the area of female homelessness can sign to demonstrate their solidarity. The statement cites a number of observations that have been made by groups working with women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Perhaps the most important of these is the hidden nature of female homelessness. Whereas male homelessness tends to be very visible in public spaces or in shelters, women’s homelessness is often hidden as women will stay on a friend’s sofa or in a car to avoid being in a shelter or on the streets. This means that the data collected to analyze female homelessness is often incomplete.
Another important observation is that women experiencing homelessness do not have a specific profile. The diversity of homeless women is as broad as the diversity of women in general. Nobody is immune from homelessness: the loss of a job, a divorce, the loss of a family member, sickness or an accident can all lead to a decrease in revenue, isolation and distress that can in turn lead to homelessness.
The statement on female homelessness advocates for a diversity of solutions to respond to the diversity of situations women find themselves in. It highlights the need for better access to affordable housing that is safe and long term as well as better access to health care, especially mental health care.
We are hoping that many of the organisations working with homeless women in Montreal will sign the statement so that together we can have a stronger voice to talk about these issues. We hope to generate a greater awareness of the difficult situations faced by many women in Montreal and to put pressure on our municipal, provincial and federal governments to allocate sufficient funds to address the issues.
Currently the statement is a work in progress, but as soon as it is complete we will share it with you on our website and Facebook page.