Family violence and homelessness : Violence familiale et itinérance, analyse documentaire

Explanations for the emergence of these new categories of the homeless have acknowledged high rates of family violence in their backgrounds, and research studies have begun to probe the possible contributing role of family breakdown, trauma and adverse childhood experiences. [...] Terminology and Definitions Family Violence For the purpose of this paper, family violence is understood to be interpersonal abuse of individuals in relationships of kinship, intimacy, dependency or trust – the parameters specified for the Family Violence Initiative of the Government of Canada. [...] Explanations of why “new” groups have joined the ranks of the homeless have evolved to acknowledge high rates of family violence and have begun to probe the contributing role of family breakdown, trauma and adverse childhood experiences. [...] Similarly, in a Toronto study with a representative sample4 of 300 single adult shelter users, 51% of the women and 38% of the men had been physically abused during childhood (compared with 21% of women and 31% of men in the general population). [...] Intersectionality It is important that our understanding of the nexus of family violence and homelessness be situated within an appreciation of intersectionality, i.e., an understanding of the particular and unique situations and experiences of groups according to age, gender, sexual identity, ethno-cultural background and disability.