Society’s Misjudgement of the Homeless
- Shivatarun Chinthaka
- Aug 21, 2023
- 3 min read
Denette, N.D. (2018). Advocates are demanding the city declare a state of emergency to provide more support for homeless people in Toronto. [Photograph]. CBC News.
The prospect of homelessness in modern society harbours a vast array of deceitful disguises to discriminate, criminalize, and segregate homeless people from what is perceived as normality. One of these many disguises is stereotypes, a facade rationalizing the presence of homelessness through the significance of mental health.
One such stereotype revolves around the prospect that homeless people choose the path to homelessness (homeless hub, 2021). However, this idea could not be further from the truth, as thousands of homeless have been evicted and can't afford basic living expenses or the privilege of an adequate quality of life. Furthermore, of those who are currently homeless, many are outcomes of the rising eviction rates in Canada, which currently is 7% of all households (Canadian Centre for Housing Rights, 2023). In addition, as per the Canadian Mental Health Association, the line between poverty, and being poor is being "an accident, an illness or a paycheck away from living on the streets," which contradicts the untrue perception that homeless are choosing paths toward their current state (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2023). Other reasons might be the affordable housing crisis, where many Canadians struggle to find suitable housing within their budget range, or the lack of support or unaffordability to treat existing addiction or mental health issues.
To add on, the false perception that homelessness inherently influences reliability as an employee, being more likely to be labeled lazy or negligent (homeless hub, 2021). This diminishes the qualifications and experiences homeless people have as job seekers. However, homeless people have to be proactive to survive. This includes taking loans and money from other sources, including family or banks. Just last year, 61% of Canadians who have borrowed money to cover necessary expenses have not been able to pay it back, indicating the grave state of living conditions and the rising cost of living prices, which is a detriment to homeless populations (Chartered Professional Accountants Designation, 2022).
Additionally, a stereotype constricting the freedoms and willingness to aid homelessness is the conception that Canada’s government provides eminent services and housing for homeless citizens throughout the affordable housing crisis (homeless hub, 2021). Despite this, nearly 10% of the homeless population in Toronto resided on the street in 2016 (Aleman, 2016), and this figure seems to be more prone to rising throughout the struggles of inflation, and increasing cost of living. Furthermore, the affordability and lack of emphasis towards mental-health supports causes 25-50% of homeless people to live with a mental health condition; increasing the likelihood that they pursue crime, and reinforcing definitive stereotypes such as, “All the homeless are criminals” (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2023).
Although many stereotypes confine the privileges of homeless people, it is imperative to see that the citizens of Canada are not receiving the proper care or utilities needed to sustain their lives and get rid of mental health issues. These stereotypes preserve the social stature of the homeless as lesser or unfit, even showcasing the perception that they cannot redeem themselves from the detriment of mental health.
References
Aleman, A. (2016, December 9). What are the statistics on homelessness and mental health in Toronto? The Homeless Hub. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://www.homelesshub.ca/blog/what-are-statistics-homelessness-and-mental-health-toronto
Canadian Centre for Housing Rights. (2023, January 26). Canada's obligation to respect the right to housing: How it can prevent evictions and homelessness. Canadian Centre for Housing Rights. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://housingrightscanada.com/canadas-obligation-to-respect-the-right-to-housing-how-it-can-prevent-evictions-and-homelessness/
Canadian Mental Health Association. (2023). Housing. CMHA Ontario. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://ontario.cmha.ca/provincial-policy/social-determinants/housing/
Canadian Mental Health Association. (2023). Housing and Mental Health. CMHA Ontario. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/housing-and-mental-health/
Chartered Professional Accountants Canada. (2022, August 4). Are we thriving or merely surviving? New CPA Canada study examines the state of Canadians' finances in today's turbulent times. CPA Canada. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/the-cpa-profession/about-cpa-canada/media-centre/2022/august/thriving-or-surviving-cpa-canada-study-on-canadian-finances
