There is a rather crass cynicism in the general public that at-risk youth of being homeless are on the street, or living precariously, because it is either a type of “rite of passage,” an adventure, or they are simply going through a rebellious stage of their adolescence. For the most part, such thinking is a myth. Many near-homeless or homeless youth today were thrust out of their homes forced by neglect or abuse or graduated from the foster-care system when they reached nineteen.
There are a lot of dangers a youth faces once ejected from his or her familiar surroundings. The most pervasive one is the anxiety of not have a safe place to sleep and the gnawing dread of never finding one. But the most insidious danger is that of sexual exploitation, or the draw of the sex trade to simply survive. In this week’s Monday Magazine (September 20, 2012), Simon Nattrass’ column (posted below) forcefully exposes this dark reality in our midst. His words are eloquent and his message blunt. His last paragraph hits close to the heart of the matter. Allowing any youth to be sexually exploited murders a vital spark in their inner being, that is, their living flame of self-worth that feeds their dreams and hopes.
After a long stint of living in shelters, Marie was finally doing well. She had all the right supports: housing, drug and trauma counselling, and even volunteering in the community. But when personal trauma became overwhelming and her addictions resurfaced, she couldn’t hold on to her supported housing and, once again, her only option was the street. Weeks later, she was on a corner in Rock Bay, surviving in the best way she knew how.