Homelessness is often hidden from view as people meet their shelter needs in many ways, including couch surfing, remaining in unhealthy or unsafe relationships, or tenting in encampments outside of view of the public. This hidden homelessness is especially prevalent for women and gender-diverse individuals. The Project Willow report was created to help bring awareness to this important, yet often neglected issue.
Jen Gordon is a women’s advocate, and primary author of the Project Willow reports. She was motivated to gain a better understanding of what homelessness looked like for women and gender-diverse individuals in the Waterloo Region, particularly at the intersections of homelessness and gender-based violence.
“Some folks have long said women’s homelessness is different, but we didn’t have local data to back up this claim,” Gordon said.
Through interviews and a survey, Project Willow researchers engaged with participants connected to, or who had used, formal emergency support services, including emergency shelters.
“This report captures the experiences of women (cis, trans, two-spirit) and gender-diverse individuals as they navigate safety, violence and justice while being homeless or unhoused and using emergency services in Waterloo Region,” the report states.
When the report was written in 2022, women and gender-diverse individuals had two options for emergency shelters: the YW Kitchener-Waterloo emergency shelter in Kitchener or The Bridges co-ed shelter in Cambridge. As of June 2024, the YW KW emergency shelter has closed permanently and The Bridges shelter in Cambridge has transitioned to a men-only space. While there are now no emergency women-only shelters, women experiencing domestic violence may be able to access support from the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.
With few options for emergency shelter, some women opt for alternatives to the shelter system, including remaining in unsafe relationships or relying on hospital emergency rooms for temporary shelter. An open letter from a coalition advocating for dedicated women’s-only emergency shelter space in Waterloo Region calls for a data strategy that reflects women’s hidden homelessness.
Since many people experiencing homelessness are hidden from the public in some way, it can be difficult to understand the scope of the problem.
“By having no shelter beds that are exclusively for women, it makes it difficult to count the number of women experiencing homelessness. It absolutely underestimates the extent of women’s homelessness in the region,” Erin Dej, an associate professor of criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University and one of the co-signers of the letter, said.
Project Willow research found that 73 per cent of participants avoided using co-ed emergency shelter services because of safety concerns. This is exacerbated in Cambridge, where historically the only emergency homeless shelter option for women was co-ed. A new, temporary women’s-only shelter is expected to open in Cambridge this month.
The majority of survey participants noted that they frequently experience violence, with 92 per cent experiencing violence at least weekly. Verbal violence, such as yelling and name-calling, was the most common type of violence experienced, often from partners or peers, but also from strangers on the street.
Participants discussed myriad safety concerns and the need to always be aware of their surroundings, have an exit strategy and carry pepper spray or other weapons. Many participants found comfort in staying in public with people, even if they were strangers. This was especially true for those who did not own a cell phone or have other ways of calling for help.
“It’s dangerous and don’t go where you’re not close to the city, and other people, because if you need to run, you need to get people fast, right? Because that could be life or death,” an interview participant said.
Women and gender-diverse individuals often face difficult decisions in accessing shelter and maintaining their—and, for some, their children’s—safety. Of Project Willow participants, 41 per cent reported that they strategically engage in relationships and friendships with known violent people for protection. Also, 83 per cent of respondents said they have stayed in a housing situation that was abusive or violent because it felt safer than being homeless.
The Office of the Federal Housing Advocate noted that there simply are not enough safe shelter options for women, gender-diverse people, and people fleeing violence.
“Shelters provide a critical service, but they are underfunded, are operating over capacity, and staff turnover rates are high. Many also reported a lack of emergency resources for women and 2SLGBTQIA+ people,” the Federal Housing Advocate report states.
“[Across Canada] 68 per cent of shelter beds are co-ed or dedicated to men, compared to 13 per cent dedicated to women,” The State of Women’s Housing Need and Homelessness in Canada report states.
Marjorie Knight is a local housing advocate who resided at the Bridges shelter in Cambridge while experiencing homelessness. She recalls the discomfort she felt while sharing a co-ed space with only a partial wall dividing her from the men.
“It was very, very uncomfortable. I did not feel safe there,” Knight said.
Knight also noted that women with children face additional challenges.
“If they have children with them, they may be afraid to ask for help, in case the children are taken away by the authorities. That means they may be living in a vehicle, or staying in an abusive situation, instead of getting the help they need,” Knight said.
The lack of gender-specific shelter options leaves many women and gender-diverse individuals to reside in encampments, believing them to be the safer, or only, option available to them.
“They acknowledged the violence in encampments, but also recognized greater violence while being alone on the streets or in certain temporary housing, such as shelters and single-room occupancies. More importantly, they see encampments as a place that provides community, support and safety,” the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate stated.
Project Willow participants believe that changes to the shelter and housing system can improve access and safety. Many respondents cited restorative justice methods as crucial in establishing a safer system.
“Looking at solutions around justice, a total of 57 per cent of participants want to see an alternative way to deal with violence rather than relying on the current police or court systems,” the report stated.
The creation of new spaces and services and the adaptation of existing ones, exclusively for women and gender-diverse folks is critical, according to most respondents.
“61 percent of participants also wanted to see the creation of more gendered housing along the continuum of affordable, supportive and transitional,” the Project Willow report states.
“Conversations are happening, champions are advocating for this, but we still need momentum. Getting more citizens involved means we get the momentum we need to grow something important out of this in a way that is revolutionary,” Jen Gordon said.
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