In today's Capital News, on how the path to homelessness is a slippery slope of one small change after another. Here we speak with a women's advocacy worker on the challenges women in precarious personal positions are facing.
°±ð±ô´Ç·É²Ô²¹Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s affordable housing shortage is putting at-risk women in an even more precarious position.
Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥Àá²Ô my opinion it forces women to stay in situations that are potentially »å²¹²Ô²µ±ð°ù´Ç³Ü²õ,Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥ said Jessica Haefner, with the Elizabeth Fry Society. Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥Àá´Ú ³Ù³ó±ð²âÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™r±ð trying to leave an abusive situation, more often than not ¾±³ÙÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s easier to stay because ¾±³ÙÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s so overwhelming to look at all the things they are going to be faced with if they ±ô±ð²¹±¹±ð.Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥
Those things include a rental rate ³Ù³ó²¹³ÙÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s 0.3 per cent, with an average rental fee for a one bedroom somewhere in the $1,000 a month range.
If a woman has children, finding a home with more than one bedroom is even more difficult and more expensive.
Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥Àá³ÙÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s barrier after barrier for a lot of ·É´Ç³¾±ð²Ô,Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥ Haefner said.
Many women she deals with who do make the leap out of a dangerous situation end up couch surfing for awhile or, at times, they find refuge in ·É´Ç³¾±ð²ÔÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s shelters, which are oftentimes at peak capacity.
Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥œT³ó±ð°ù±ðÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s not a lot of places for women to ²µ´Ç,Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥ she said.
Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥ÀáÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™v±ð only been in this position for a year and ¾±³ÙÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s been eye-opening. You »å´Ç²ÔÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™t realize it until you are a person trying to find housing or, trying to help someone find ³ó´Ç³Ü²õ¾±²Ô²µ.Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥
There are some government programs available to alleviate the burden on women in need, such as a BC Housing rental supplement and Income Assistance.
These, however, require filling out lots of paperwork, which is particularly onerous for women who are trying to flee an abusive relationship.
Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥Àá³ÙÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™s not a fast ±è°ù´Ç³¦±ð²õ²õ,Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥ said Haefner. Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥œF´Ç°ù women who are trying to leave an abusive relationship, housing is the No. 1 issue. Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥˜W³ó±ð°ù±ð am I going to go, how will I afford to be there? When they ³¦²¹²ÔÏã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥™t answer these questions, many times women will go back to an abusive ²õ¾±³Ù³Ü²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô.Ïã½¶ÊÓÆµÖ±²¥