Femmes et itinérance : trajectoires biographiques et expériences de l'hébergement d'urgence
A controversial subject in the Sociology of Deviance, female homelessness is the result of a variety of factors, including substance abuse, alcoholism, mental health problems, trauma, job loss, loss of housing, divorce, death, domestic violence, etc. form an amalgam of contributing factors (Latimer et al., 2015). These factors are part of structural and individual order. From the sheltering point of view, this phenomenon is often discussed according to the problem of access to the facilities and the lack of privacy within them. These factors would have an impact on the perceptions and self-reports of the women experiencing it. This phenomenon not only cuts across different issues, but also affects a vulnerable population of women who need help tailored to their needs. Identification to the homelessness has a direct impact on individuals, but the status of ‘’homeless woman’’ seems to add a lot of additional difficulties. Second, established social welfare structures add up in the process of stigmatizing these women. The location, the mission of help and the lack of knowledge about these services push the citizens to question the representations of the users of the services. It is therefore relevant to question the existing social assistance systems (crisis center, shelter, day center, etc.) that can encourage a strong discrimination of the population. As a result, the appropriateness of the factors that can lead to homelessness, (welfare structures, control mechanisms etc.) leads to questions about their direct and indirect impacts on the female homeless population. The degradation of the image of the population or the impression of dangerousness can be concrete examples of impacts. The combination of factors leading to homelessness could encourage stigmatization of the population. As part of this masters thesis, these topics will be discussed in two central areas: the status of homeless and women’s accommodation.
Itinérance Désafiliation sociale Homelessness Women Shelter Self-report Social disaffiliation