By Program Intern Tatiana Hogston
In 2022, approximately 582,500 people experienced homelessness in the United States. In Maryland, 5,349 people were estimated to have experienced homelessness on any given night (HUD). Many people experiencing homelessness struggle with financial stability, mental health, substance use disorders, and systemic barriers. In addition to these challenges, many people will experience a sexual assault while being homeless. Although any person can become a victim of sexual violence, experiencing homelessness can put individuals at a higher risk (Georgetown Law, 2022). Those struggling with homelessness can also lack sufficient access to the resources that should be provided to all survivors of sexual violence, such as medical care, mental health services, and the ability to take legal action against perpetrators.
The unstable and unsafe living conditions that accompany homelessness put younger homeless people at a higher risk of sexual assault and human trafficking. Only 1-3% of youth in the general population report sexual abuse, however this number is raised to 21-42% when specifically looking at homeless youth (National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2014). Youth who are struggling financially and do not have a safe place to sleep are also more susceptible to human trafficking. For example, one in five homeless or runaway youth are a victim of sex or labor trafficking (National Network for Youth, 2023). Lacking the support and stability of a home, homeless youth are vulnerable to traffickers who appear to offer them housing, work, or a better living situation.
Other groups who experience homelessness are also more likely to face sexual violence and human trafficking compared to the general population. Members of the LGBTQ+ community face a higher risk of being trafficked and LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness are roughly 7.4 times more likely to experience sexual violence than straight youth (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2023).
In a survey of human trafficking survivors, 64% reported experiencing homelessness or unstable housing at the time they were trafficked (Polaris Project, 2018). There have been reports of traffickers going to homeless shelters to exploit people’s fear of unsafe living conditions by offering them a place to sleep, and eventually recruiting them into a human trafficking situation. Many people struggling to find a safe place to sleep and lacking basic human needs turn to “survival sex” to make ends meet. Survival sex is the exchange of sex for shelter, food, clothing, or other necessities, and is a form of coercion that can lead to further sexual violence and exploitation (Simon on the Streets, 2021). LGBTQ+ youth are three times more likely to engage in survival sex than straight youth (National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2014).
Not only is sexual violence a threat for homeless people sleeping on the streets, it is also a threat pervasive in shelters; a place where homeless people are meant to be safe. One study shows that 22% of transgender individuals living in homeless shelters were sexually assaulted by residents or staff (National Sexual Assault Coalition). Additionally, Black and multiracial transgender individuals report higher rates of sexual assault in homeless shelters compared to white transgender individuals (National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2020).
The intersection of housing insecurity and sexual violence is evident in Maryland, where on July 19th, 2024, Maryland Attorney General Brown filed a lawsuit against an Eastern Shore landlord for sexually harassing tenants, including gender discrimination and demanding sex in exchange for rent (The Associated Press, 2024). Sexual violence can be pervasive where there is an abuse of power over people in vulnerable situations. Individuals facing housing insecurity and financial instability deserve to find shelter without the possibility of sexual violence.
Sexual and domestic violence are often reasons why people leave home and become homeless, however leaving an unsafe home life is often met with even more challenges and risk of sexual assault. It is important that those looking to escape an abusive household have access to safe housing and that sexual assault is not a normalized consequence that comes with housing insecurity and homelessness.
If you or someone you know would like to reach out to an advocate or would like to get more information, help is available. For legal services and technical assistance please contact MCASA’s Sexual Assault Legal Institute at 301-565-2277. For information on counseling and other local resources for sexual assault survivors contact your local Rape Crisis and Recover Center or call 211. If you are in need of additional resources please contact us at [email protected] for more information.
References
Bauer, E., Bein, K. & Fribley, C. National Sexual Assault Coalition. College-Aged But on the Streets: Young Adults Who Experience Homelessness and Sexual Violence. Retrieved here.
Georgetown Law (2022). Sexual Violence Against Women Experiencing Homelessness. Retrieved here.
National Coalition for the Homeless (2023). Homelessness Among the LGBTQ Community. Retrieved here.
National Network for Youth (2023). Human Trafficking. Retrieved here.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2014). Linking the Roads: Working with Youth Who Experience Homelessness and Sexual Violence. Retrieved here.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2020). What Are the Links Between Sexual Violence and Housing? Retrieved here.
Polaris Project (2018). On-Ramps, Intersections, and Exit Routes: A Roadmap for Systems and Industries to Prevent and Disrupt Human Trafficking. Retrieved here.
Simon on the Street (2021). The Realities Women on the Streets Face: Survival Sex. Retrieved here.
The Associated Press (2024). Maryland Announces Civil Lawsuit In Case Involving Demands of Sex for Rent. Retrieved here.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2022). The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress. Retrieved here.
