This Presentation was created for and presented at the 2010 National Healthcare for the Homeless Conference in San Francisco, CA.

1. Presented by:
Crystal Tenty, Natalie
Schraner and Jill Winsor

2.  Risks survivors who are experiencing
homelessness face in regard to DV/IPV and
SA.
 How perpetrators target victims/survivors
 Barriers to accessing services
 Trauma
 Advocacy and safety planning

3.  While overall rates of victimization in this
country are down, rates of victimization among
homeless women remain relatively unchanged
 One study found 92% of homeless mothers had
experienced severe physical &/or sexual violence
at some point in their lives with 43% reporting
sexual abuse in childhood and 63% reporting
intimate partner violence in adulthood
Stats from “No Safe Place: Sexual Assault in the Lives of Homeless Women”
By Lisa Goodman, Katya Fels, and Catherine Glenn on Vawnet.org

4. One study of homeless women discovered that
those who reported a rape in the last year
were significantly more likely than non-
victims to suffer from 2 or more
gynecological conditions & 2 or more serious
physical health conditions within the last
year and they were also more likely to report
they needed to see a physician during the
past year but were unable to do so
(vawnet.org)

5.  “Homeless” vs. “Battered women” categories.
 Some homeless-based services are not trauma-
informed.
 Some DV/SA services are not set up to support
women who have experienced chronic
homelessness.
 Much of the emergency financial assistance that
does exist for survivors are earmarked for DV
survivors or shelter residents and not accessible
for SA or AMAC survivors.

7.  Many reports only count the homeless who
are sleeping on the street or staying in
shelters
 We count people sleeping in their cars,
couch surfing, staying with abusers to stay
off the street

8.  Anyone can be a victim of sexual violence
 Crosses gender, race, class, age, sexual
orientation, location

9.  “She let me pay for it last time, what’s the
difference?”
 “She’ll lose her kids if she leaves my house,
she can’t complain about what happens
here.”
 “If I get her high she won’t even notice.”

10.  Everybody knows she’s crazy, no one will
believe her.”
 “There’s a warrant out for her, she can’t go
to the cops.”
 “She only knows my street name, she can’t
rat on me.”

11.  Perpetrators select victims that they see as:
 Vulnerable:disabled, socially isolated, drug
affected, etc.
 Accessible:sleeping on the streets, couch
surfing, etc.
 Lacking Credibility: criminal background, mental
health

12.  All forms of societal oppression can be used
by a perpetrator to facilitate violence
 Immigration status, race, language
 When multiple forms of oppression intersect,
people are at higher risk for sexual predation
 Sexworkers may be seen as more accessible,
vulnerable (participating in sex trade), lacking
credibility (work may be criminalized, not
supported by society)

13.  Homelessness does increase a person’s
potential risk of being chosen by a
perpetrator for victimization
 BUT!!!
Sexual assault is always the result of a
choice made by a perpetrator, not the
situations a survivor is living through

14.  Using the VAL, evaluate the survivor’s
Vulnerability, Accessibility, and Lack of
Credibility
 What are the survivor’s strengths and skills?

15. Game board Activity

16.  An overwhelming, distressing or life threatening
event (experience)
 An emotional and psychological injury (effect)
 Threatens safety and predictability of life
 Surreal quality

17. Single event
-natural disaster
-military duty
-sexual assault
-car accident
Effects of acute trauma
-PTSD, GAD, MDD
-disruption of Life
-can regain sense of normalcy

18. Intrusion
Arousal
Avoidance/Constriction

19. Serial traumatization
-refugee camps
-on-going war
-pattern of abuse (sexual, physical, neglect)
Effects of chronic trauma
-cumulative
-can be permanently disabling
-Disorders of Extreme Stress (NOS)

20. “…most studies indicate a considerable
burden of cognitive dysfunction among
homeless people.”
Injury to the brain via accidents, abuse,
chronic drug use, untreated illness
TBI diagnosable by a doctor

21. Mary has lived on the streets of Old Town on-
and-off for twelve years. She was sexually
abused as a child and witnessed domestic
violence between her parents who had
alcoholism. Mary remembers cracking her head
open when her father pushed her down the
stairs.

22. Mary often felt restless in school and struggled to
pay attention; she was constantly in trouble and
had failing grades. Mary dropped out of school
and moved out of home at age 15. Mary self-
medicated her Major Depressive Disorder and
Generalized Anxiety with alcohol and heroine.
While engaging in survival sex last week she was
sexually assaulted on the job.

23. Trauma responses are legitimate and often
brave attempts to cope with or defend
against further traumatization

24.  Alcohol and drug-use
 High-risk behaviors
 “Difficult” behaviors
 “Acquiescence”
 Reluctance to seek
treatment or report

25. “The shelter kicked me out because I forgot
the curfew”
“I lost my SSI because I missed my
appointment”
“I feel trapped and nervous in the shelter”

26. “I won’t go to the hospital. They only think I’m
a junkie”
“I can’t see my DV caseworker because that
neighborhood has too much relapse
potential”
“What’s one more rape. I mean it’s happened
since I was 3”

28.  Build relationship
 Assess needs, refer and connect to other
service providers
 Advocate for your clients primary needs
 See ‘problematic behaviors’ within a
context

29.  Lacking access to personal items
 Traumatization within shelter system
 Coping skills and other behaviors may
violate agency’s rules (Use of
Drugs/alcohol, looking for sex work on
shelter computer, etc)
 Power dynamics between
provider/advocate and participant
 Feeling dehumanized by authority figures

30.  Re-evaluate your agency’s policies and
procedures
 Meet them where they’re at-LITERALLY
 Outreach to homeless communities
 Connect with non-DV/SA specific agencies
(A&D treatment, health clinics, drop-in
centers, etc) –co-advocate when
appropriate.
 Bring care packages with you to the hospital
 Client assistance $

31. Think outside the box-
Emotional safety, physical safety, property
security and mental and physical health and
well-being
 Explore their built-in strengths/survival skills
Drawing upon and validating Intuition
 Help identify safe locations in their neighborhood or
locale
 Encourage clients to share their skills with one
another and look out for one another.
 Offer educational classes on topics relevant to
participants
 Explore ways they can keep their property secure

32.  Be comfortable talking about sex and
sexual/reproductive organs
 Have some basic knowledge around safer sex
practices
 Have safer sex supplies handy (condoms, lube,
wet wipes, rubber gloves)
 Initiate discussion (when appropriate) with
participants around negotiating safer sex with
their clients
 DO NOT JUDGE, PATERNALIZE OR PATHOLOGIZE
Resource: “Tricks of the Trade” by Lynn Stern
www.berkeleyneed.org/resources/tricksmanual.pdf

33.  911 cell phones  Address
(courthouse, CSC, Confidentiality
PWCL) Program
 Portland Bad Date  Drop-in center
Line Sheets locations and
 WomenStrength hours
Self-Defense
Training

34.  Outside/In  TPI
 New Avenues for  Clackamas Service
Youth Center
 Central City  Rose City Resource
Concern Guide
 JOIN
 SAFES

36. Questions?

37. DSM-IV
Herman, Judith
Feminist Therapy
Roth “Complex Trauma”