Different Paths Lead to the Shelter: Homeless Women's Struggles and Goals

In a survey of ethnicity, gender, and homelessness, S. G. Baker (1994) observes, "at no time in U.S. history has homelessness proved so far-reaching in its demographic scope" (Gender Ethnicity and Homelessness: Accounting for Demographic Diversity on the Streets. The American Behavioral Scientist, 37:476-504, 1994:476). She suggests that the term "homeless" currently refers to men, women, and children of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who live on the streets or use the services of shelters. Baker notes that although many homeless individuals lack familial support, there is a difference in men's and women's relationships with their families. In particular, homeless women often have less desire than men for contact with their families of origin, yet are more likely than men to be accompanied by dependent children.