Introduction
Homelessness is the state of having no permanent residential place, leading one to live on the streets or be sheltered. Cases of people getting sheltered or worse, being without residence, have been on an increase annually, with several citizens globally lacking dignified homes. Despite various governments’ initiatives to reduce homelessness, many people continue to lack formal shelters across many countries of the world.
Homelessness as a socio-economic problem has been in existence for a long time and forms part of world history, affecting both the old and the young, women and men. However, the issue escalated to a global concern when the United Nations and other international organizations declared it a global crisis. The surge in the number of homeless people in the world was becoming alarming, with victims facing different challenges. Various countries have different rates of homelessness and distribution in terms of gender and age.
For instance, in America, women and children are most affected by homelessness. Similarly, various countries have varying reasons for homelessness. However, factors such as unemployment, unaffordable housing, and domestic violence seem to feature in almost all countries battling the problem. Homelessness has affected the victims in many ways, including poor health, educational distraction, and criminalization.
Causes
Insufficient Affordable Houses
Mental health is one of the leading causes of homelessness globally. A significant number of victims of homelessness are battling various mental health challenges. A study conducted in Japan has found the correlation between homelessness and mental health, with numerous homeless individuals living in the streets and under foster care programs suffering psychological disorders (Nishio et al., 2017).
Mental health can cause homelessness in different ways for the victims. First, some victims become homeless due to stigmatization by their family members and society. For instance, victims of cognitive disabilities may face constant stigmatization from their close family members, causing them to leave their homes and live on the street (Nishio et al., 2017). Some families become intolerant when one of their own is suffering from a mental disorder, creating a harsh environment for the victim to stay and survive.
Secondly, most mental victims do not enjoy positive relationships with their families as they are neglected and overlooked. The neglect and isolation cause them to flee their homes in the streets, rendering them homeless. Finally, some mental health victims turn to substance abuse for consolation. The substance abuse thus makes them unacceptable in their families and society, driving them out of their homes.
Unemployment
Unemployment is another major cause of homelessness in the world. People without jobs or sustainable sources of income are victims of homelessness because they cannot afford the high housing costs. High housing costs necessitate that individuals have sustainable sources of income to afford and maintain rental housing properties.
However, many people are without jobs or sustainable income sources, denying them financial ability. Various countries have distinct unemployment rates, resulting in varying levels of poverty. Similarly, unemployment is affecting people differently in various countries. For instance, in Japan, unemployment has caused people to incur massive debts, making them unable to afford housing, thus becoming homeless (Nishio et al., 2017).
Likewise, America, which is another victim of homelessness, attributes the problem to unemployment and poverty. For instance, according to the American National Coalition for the Homeless, poverty caused by job loss and unemployment is among the leading contributors to homelessness (Khurshid & Gadnis, 2019). The same can be said of third-world countries, such as Haiti and many African countries, which have high unemployment rates, as most of their citizens cannot afford the rental fees to own a home. This leads to the problem of homelessness in the underdeveloped countries.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is the final cause of global homelessness, especially among children and women. Female victims of domestic violence, for instance, resort to the streets to escape their partners’ wrath. Similarly, children find themselves victims of domestic violence, making them flee their homes. For instance, in America, statistics show that the number of homeless victims due to domestic violence rose from 10.5% in 2010 to 12.5% in 2016 (Zhao, 2023).
For example, women who are regularly abused by their male spouses may flee their homes out of fear into the streets and become homeless, especially housewives without jobs who depend on their male partners. In addition, young victims of regular sexual abuse by close family members flee their homes into the streets and strangers’ custody to escape the mistreatment, for example, in South Africa, where young individuals, especially girls, are exposed to domestic physical and sexual violence (Rasool, 2022).
In addition, some substance-abusing parents are violent, forcing children to flee their homes to the streets. In the same vein, some teenagers are dismissed by parents for engaging in unconventional sexual relations such as homosexuality. Conservative parents may disown and chase their children away for engaging in homosexuality and embarrassing the family.
Effects
Criminalization
The first effect of global homelessness is criminalization, in the form of victimization and demonization of victims. Homeless individuals have mostly been declared criminals and forced to live under suspicion and fear. Many countries across the globe have criminalized homelessness or associated the victims with crime. For example, America, which has the highest cases of homelessness, has seen more than half of its cities criminalize homeless individuals and ban helping and assisting the victims by well-wishers (Zhao, 2022).
Thus, homeless victims in the country are forced to live in fear and suspicion of being arrested by the officers. It is easier for security officers in countries where homelessness has been criminalized to arrest homeless individuals and detain them even if they are not involved in criminal activities (Craven et al., 2022). Similarly, some countries have criminalized homelessness, thereby exposing the victims to insecurity in the hands of malicious civilians.
For example, in Kenya, most homeless street families have been associated with criminal activities (Wa Teresia, 2023). According to the United Nations, homeless victims are the most vulnerable group, especially women and children, due to the criminalization of the issue. Homeless individuals are increasingly exposed to hate killings, sexual harassment, and physical abuse.
Distraction of Education
Second, homelessness distracts from education among children. Young victims of homelessness are distracted from education when they lack a formal shelter. Children who have not been lucky enough to enroll in foster care programs find it hard to go to school. A homeless child will immediately drop out of school because there will be no one to facilitate their education (Zhao, 2023).
Since many students attend schools within their neighborhoods, it becomes difficult for children to continue attending school after fleeing their homes, especially when their destinations are urban streets. For example, in underdeveloped countries such as Africa, with few foster programs for homeless children, most young victims of homelessness do not go to school. In addition, homelessness interferes with student education performance by denying kids a conducive environment.
A student cannot perform well academically if they stay in a noisy and distracting environment. Homeless children perform poorly in school because they are distracted by their environment. For example, a child living on the street cannot comfortably attend school and perform well. Moreover, victims of homelessness in any part of the world are emotionally disturbed due to the psychological stressors that come with it, thus affecting their learning in school.
Poor Health
The final effect of homelessness is poor health among the victims. Most homeless individuals are exposed to various health problems due to the poor living conditions and other psychological burdens that come with being homeless. First, victims of homelessness suffer mental health problems such as depression and stress. Mental health is attributed to poor living conditions. Similarly, the pain of being isolated from family members can cause psychological problems (Wadhera et al., 2019).
Secondly, most victims of homelessness are exposed to substance abuse, which causes their health to deteriorate. Excessive abuse of drugs such as marijuana, cigarettes, cocaine, and other substances is known to affect human health. For example, street youths in Bahir City, Ethiopia, are recording high substance abuse (Shegaw et al., 2022). Therefore, the regular substance abuse by victims of homelessness exposes them to various health threats.
Finally, homelessness is associated with poor living conditions, adverse weather, and exposure to diseases. For example, in Europe, most victims of homelessness are suffering from chronic diseases, and it is even worse that they cannot access healthcare services (Lutchmun et al., 2022). Since some homeless individuals stay and sleep outside, they are exposed to diseases such as asthma.
Conclusion
In summary, homelessness is a serious social problem that has passed the test of time. Despite government initiatives, the issue persists, with the number of people without homes steadily increasing. Even though it is contributed to many factors, the major causes include insufficient affordable housing, unemployment, and domestic violence.
Homelessness has impacted the victims in various ways, such as criminalization, disruption of education, and poor health. If not contained through affordable housing projects, the rate of homelessness may rise significantly, plunging the country into lawlessness and interfering with the future of children through the continued distraction of essential services.
References
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Khurshid & Gadnis. (2019). Using blockchain to create transaction identity for persons experiencing homelessness in America: Policy proposal. JRM Research Protocols, 8(3), e10654.
Lutchmun, W., Gach, J., Borup, C., & Froeschl, G. (2022). Chronic diseases and multi-morbidity in persons experiencing homelessness: Results from a cross-sectional study conducted at three humanitarian clinics in Germany in 2020. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1-11.
Nishio, A., Horita, R., Sado, T., Mizutani, S., Watanabe, T., Uahera, R. & Yamamoto, M. (2017). Causes of homelessness prevalence: Relationship between homeless and disability. Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 71, 180-188.
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