Base de datos anonimizada del proyecto “Discriminación interseccional, estigma social y trauma emocional entre mujeres en situación sin hogar (DET-MSH).

The study aims to characterize individuals experiencing homelessness in Madrid (Spain) who report the highest levels of discrimination across various settings, with a focus on intersectional vulnerabilities and the relationship between these experiences and their mental health status. Structured interviews were conducted with 355 people experiencing homelessness, including questions about their experiences of discrimination across institutional and everyday settings throughout their lifetime. At least one in every two participants reported thefts and property damage, unfair treatment by law enforcement, and unprovoked threats and assaults. Nearly one third of the individuals interviewed also reported unfairly the loss of a close relationship and unfair treatment in the labor market, the housing market, and public transportation and commercial establishments. The quartile that reported suffering the highest levels of discrimination consistently across contexts was younger on average and characterized by a greater presence of women and Spanish-born individuals. Their history of homelessness was more complex, with
a higher proportion of youth-onset homelessness and unsheltered homelessness, and greater involvement in prostitution and survival sex. Moreover, individuals who reported more experiences of discrimination showed a higher prevalence of disabilities and mental health diagnoses, as well as substance abuse, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and symptomatology consistent with the diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder. The cumulative impact of experiences of discrimination and intersectional vulnerabilities highlights the need for targeted interventions and tailored attention in different services and institutions, recognizing all the potential psychosocial determinants of mental health.

En España, en el año 2022 se contabilizaban al menos 28.552 personas en situación sin hogar, la manifestación más extrema de pobreza y exclusión social. Dentro de este colectivo, las mujeres en situación sin hogar presentan características específicas y experiencias atravesadas por el factor de género. No obstante, la información sobre las personas en situación sin hogar de la ciudad de Madrid, y en concreto sobre las mujeres, es escasa. El presente trabajo recoge la situación, necesidades y trayectorias de 355 personas (148 mujeres y 207 hombres) en situación sin hogar que se encontraban pernoctando al aire libre o en albergues y recursos similares. Además, se incluye una submuestra de 37 mujeres atendidas en programas de carácter más específico, basados en distintos modelos de intervención (Housing First, No Second Night, etc.). Se presentan los resultados de todas las personas en situación sin hogar participantes, así como comparativas por género para conocer las realidades específicas de hombres y mujeres. Se abordan diversas áreas, como la historia de la situación sin hogar, salud, o sucesos vitales estresantes, con atención especial a tres aspectos poco estudiados en esta población en contexto español: el estigma, la discriminación interseccional, y la salud mental, en relación a la elevada prevalencia de experiencias potencialmente traumáticas que padecen las personas en situación sin hogar en general, y las mujeres en especial.

In this 36-month longitudinal study, we aim to evaluate the relationships between perceived discrimination related to homelessness and various indicators of health, substance abuse, and social support. Participants were adult women experiencing homelessness in Madrid (Spain; N = 136). Information was gathered through a structured interview and questionnaires composed of self-report measures, both at baseline and at annual follow-up interviews. Results indicate that 65.4% of women have felt discriminated against for being homeless, while 34.6% have not. Comparisons between groups showed that women who felt they had been discriminated against had a worse perception of their general state of health, a higher rate of serious illness or accident, and a higher rate of pain or physical discomfort. They also reported more substance use, increased feelings of loneliness or abandonment, and less emotional support. Finally, women who felt they had been discriminated against reported worse mental health in all follow-up interviews, compared with women who did not report such discrimination. The results obtained may be useful to guide the design and implementation of health policies, health services, and care programs for women experiencing homelessness from a gender perspective.

The aim of this study is to analyze the discrimination perceived by people experiencing homelessness, from an intersectional approach. Distinct profiles were identified using cluster analysis to examine the intersections among the different vulnerabilities faced by this population, considering factors associated with situations of greater social disadvantage, such as origin, race/ethnicity, disability, substance abuse, and more complex homelessness trajectories. The sample consisted of 355 people experiencing homelessness in Madrid (Spain). The sample of men was representative of the population experiencing homelessness in the city, while women were intentionally overrepresented to ensure a gender perspective. The result of the cluster analysis was the identification of three profiles, each with a specific trajectory. The subgroup that reported the most discriminatory experiences was mainly characterized by Spanish-born white individuals with disabilities, a history of substance abuse, and long-term homelessness. The two remaining subgroups, one mostly characterized by migrant and racialized individuals without associated complications, and the other by white and Spanish-born individuals with a history of alcohol abuse, both perceived lower levels of discrimination and experienced shorter durations of homelessness. Expanding the knowledge about how different vulnerabilities interact and lead to specific hardships can help improve preventive and intervention actions.

People in a homeless situation are one of the most obvious embodiments of the phenomenon of social exclusion, and women living homeless are a particularly vulnerable group. The article analyses the differences in health status between women experiencing homelessness who have been involved in prostitution and those who have not. The sample consisted of 135 women experiencing homelessness in Madrid, Spain. From the total sample interviewed, 81% had never been involved in prostitution, while 19% had been in this situation at some point in their lives. The results obtained show that women experiencing homelessness who have been involved in prostitution had poorer health outcomes, with a higher prevalence of diagnosed serious or chronic illnesses and more mental health problems, compared to women experiencing homelessness who had not been involved in prostitution. Considering that health problems most severely affect women experiencing homelessness who have also been involved in prostitution, it seems necessary to design and implement public policies and intervention programmes with a gender-sensitive approach that are accessible to women in situations of extreme vulnerability., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España

Women experiencing homelessness constitute a group with idiosyncratic characteristics and needs that have largely remained invisible. Their discriminatory situation has been studied very little which may limit the design of specific intervention strategies. Buenos Aires (Argentina) is one of the main megalopolises in Latin America, where information on women experiencing homelessness is scarcely available. The main objective of this paper is to analyze different aspects related to intersectional anticipated discrimination perceived by women experiencing homelessness in Buenos Aires (n?=?72). A structured interview was used to collect the information. The findings show that the vast majority of women experiencing homelessness in Buenos Aires reported experiencing unfair treatment and anticipated discrimination. In addition, more than two-thirds of the women interviewed indicated that they felt they could be insulted or detained without cause, among other unfair treatment. Among the main reasons attributed by the interviewees to these situations of discrimination were the fact of being homeless, being women (cis or trans), and being poor. The results obtained may be useful to guide the design and implementation of policies, services, and programs for women experiencing homelessness with a gender perspective., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación

The aim of the study was to analyze the differences in suffering stressful life events (SLE) among women experiencing homelessness who had or had not been in prostitution. Data were collected from a sample of 135 women experiencing homelessness in Madrid. A total of 81% of the women interviewed had never been in prostitution, while 19% had been in prostitution at some point in their lives. Participants were recruited from shelters, drop-in centers, and public spaces. The information was collected using a structured interview. The results showed that women experiencing homelessness who had been in prostitution suffered a greater number of SLE, both in childhood and adolescence and throughout life. The interviewed who had been in prostitution were between two and nine times more likely to have experienced during their childhood and adolescence violence in their family, as well as to have run away from home, experienced abuse, attempted suicide, and used drugs excessively. Furthermore, during their lifetime, the interviewed who had been in prostitution were between two and four times more likely to suffer from serious physical and mental health issues, excessive alcohol consumption, intimate partner violence, physical violence from others, suicide attempts, police reporting, and unwanted pregnancies. Additionally, they were four to six times more likely to have been sexually assaulted or convicted/imprisoned for a crime, seven times more likely to have been arrested, and a striking 32 times more likely to have used drugs excessively., This work was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain (Grant no: PID2019-104152 GB-I00/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033).