The report presents the experiences of 300 homeless Winnipeggers and lays out stark findings about their health, security and ability to correct the problem.
The study states economics – and economic discrimination - are the main reasons people become and stay homeless, but other factors, such as mental illness and relationship issues also play roles.
Among the 46-page report’s findings are:
- 60 per cent of Winnipeg’s homeless are of aboriginal descent.
- 43 per cent were in the care of the child-welfare system as a youth.
- 40 per cent said they were physically assaulted in the last year, but 76 per cent of victims didn’t report the violence to police.
- 43 per cent of those interviewed had difficulty cleaning their clothes.
- 23 per cent had difficulty finding a place to bathe.
- 22 per cent has difficulty finding a place to use a washroom.
Homeless women also faced alarming conditions in terms of their personal safety, the report states:
- 46 per cent of women surveyed said they were physically assaulted in the past year.
- 43 per cent said they had been sexually harassed in the past year.
- 40 per cent of women felt unsafe in shelters, compared to 28 per cent of men.