Our amazing researcher, Krista, stumbled upon a disturbing statistic the other day:
As many as 67% of chronically homeless individuals were abused as children.
I expected the number to be high, but not that high.
I’m still trying to make sense of this stat, but here are a few initial thoughts:
- A person’s childhood profoundly impacts the rest of their life.
This is why investing in child services like HeadStart is so effective.
- We do a lousy job protecting children…
- … and then we expect them to fully heal on their 18’th birthday.
- People don’t “choose” to be homeless, even if someone tells you that they did.
If someone suffered child abuse and PTSD and mental health issues and Traumatic Brain Injury (all of which are REALLY high in the chronically homeless population), they did not choose.
Show me someone who grew up in a stable home, received a decent education, and who has no mental or physical health issues… if they say they chose homelessness I’ll believe them.
I try to keep most of my weekly emails upbeat.
I am struggling, though, to find anything in this email to be optimistic about.
Sorry…
Have a great week!
Peace,
Ryan
