Perceived Safety in Community and Service Settings Among Sexual and Gender Diverse Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness: A Mixed-Method Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Background and Purpose: In the United States, sexual and gender minority (SGM) young adults (i.e., those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, and transgender) have over twice the odds of experiencing homelessness than cisgender and heterosexual (cis-hetero) young adults. Safe spaces where SGM young adults can feel protected from the dangers of street life and access important services are paramount in helping them exit homelessness. However, SGM young people experiencing homelessness are subject to stigma and discrimination in a variety of settings, including service settings (i.e., shelters). A better understanding of young adults’ perceived safety of their environment—and whether these perceptions differ for diverse subgroups—will help inform efforts to reduce environmental risks and build more inclusive, safe spaces for this population.

Methods: Data come from a mixed-method, geographically explicit ecological momentary assessment (GEMA) study with young adults experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, CA (n = 80). Thirty-four (43%) identified as sexual minority (eight of these [10%] also identified as gender minority). Quantitative data included a 7-day GEMA protocol querying participants’ current location (service setting vs. a non-service setting) and perceived safety (ranging from 1 ‘Very unsafe’ to 5 ‘Very safe’) five times per day. Qualitative data include semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of SGM participants (n = 20), querying about identity and perceived safety of social and physical environments. Multi-level, mixed effects modeling was used to examine how current location, identity, and their interaction, relate to momentary perceptions of safety. A grounded theory approach was used to generate themes from qualitative data, to add context to quantitative findings.

Results: Although being in a service setting was associated with greater perceived safety overall (β = 0.27, p < 0.001), sexual minorities (β = -0.23, p = 0.03) and sexual/gender minorities (β = -0.50, p = 0.002) reported lower perceived safety when in service settings (compared with cis-hetero participants). Qualitative interviews with SGM participants further revealed how sexual and gender minority-related stigma, interpersonal conflicts, perceived neighborhood safety, and relationships with staff members contribute to perceived safety in community and service settings.

Conclusions and Implications: Results suggest that despite efforts by homeless youth service settings to offer more inclusive services for SGM youth, more work is needed in this area. Although cis-hetero youth may report greater perceived safety when in service settings (relative to non-service settings), this sentiment is not always shared by SGM youth, who may feel relatively less safe when in service settings. Participant interviews point to a number of areas that service providers can address to increase perceived safety among their SGM clients. These concerns are particularly acute for transgender young adults, who face a number of unique stigmas and discrimination experiences in service and non-service settings.