Unsafe and Discriminatory: Public Space for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Abstract

Objective

Research has shown youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) have increased exposure to discrimination and harassment while navigating public spaces. Discrimination and harassment are a social justice issue exacerbating any pre-existing mental health symptoms, can cause additional mental and physical health problems, and act as a barrier to accessing basic needs. This study seeks to understand which youth report more discrimination and harassment and from which actors in public space. Additionally, this study sought to understand if current school attendance or utilizing drop-in centers daily mitigated discrimination experiences by keeping YEH less exposed to surveillance sightlines.

Methods

This study uses data from "Have You Heard", a convenience sample of YEH accessing three drop-in centers in Los Angeles County, including the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Safe Place for Youth, and My Friends Place within Los Angeles County, from May 2018 to August 2018. The survey was administered to YEH ages 18-26, with a majority of respondents male identifying (67%) and YEH of color comprising a sample size of 227. The study used an adaption of William's everyday discrimination scale, which was adapted to measure discrimination and harassment from police, shopkeepers, and persons in the community as three separate scales. Discrimination questions are self-report discrete questions about police, community, and business interaction quality, including "treated with less respect, less courteous, with poor service, act as if afraid, as if better than me, not listening to me." Control variables included racial, gender, and sexual minority status, current socioeconomic status (SES), arrest history, sleeping in places not fit for human habitation, current school attendance, and daily drop-in use.

Findings

These findings indicate that YEH identifying as LGBQ+ across the board showed significant positive associations with experiencing more harassment and discrimination across all three domains: police, local businesses, and community. Gender non-conforming and unsheltered youth each showed significant positive associations with experiencing police discrimination. YEH without a high school degree reported less discrimination by police. Surprisingly, YEH currently in school reported a positive association with police discrimination. YEH accessing drop-in services daily also reported increased discrimination by police.

Conclusion/Implications

LGBQ+ YEH are consistently experiencing more harassment and discrimination in public spaces, pointing to the pervasive experience with homophobic beliefs and actions that penetrate societal structures that situate YEH's lives. The finding that YEH who used drop-in services more frequently reporting more discrimination suggests that those YEH feeling the effects of widespread discrimination may be turning to the drop-in centers for a reprieve from public space. Moreover, the pro-youth nature of these spaces may empower YEH attending the drop-in centers, facilitating a recognition of the discriminatory injustices they face in the community, and allowing YEH to recognize and report these experiences to researchers.