“Scapegoating: the act of blaming a person or group for something bad that has happened or that someone else has done. Example: the scapegoating of immigrants for the country’s economic problems.” – Cambridge Dictionary
While it is easy to blame the unhoused population for their predicament, all of the recent ‘Point In Time’ (PIT) suggest they are indications of a much larger problem.
Continue reading The #1 cause of homelessness
By Brishti Basu, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Sex work is the most fulfilling job Rae has ever had. Colleagues and clients in Victoria were more welcoming than other professions had ever been to a transgender and autistic woman like herself.
Her first professional job after moving to Victoria seven years ago involved discrimination — she was asked to wear a man’s shirt, for example — low paycheques and mistreatment.
“One day, I was just like, ‘Screw this I’m running an ad,’” Rae said, deciding to explore sex work. The response was immediate and positive.
Continue reading Sex Workers on Making Their Lives Better
By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
With concerns for ‘fire, life and safety’ the City of Vancouver, with help from the Vancouver Police Department are conducting a sweep in an effort to close an illegal encampment where approximately 80 tent structures stand along Hastings Street in the city’s notorious Downtown Eastside.
Continue reading Unhoused displaced from DTES encampment due to City of Vancouver ‘safety concerns’
By Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Susan MacRae wants to talk about what happened to her, but she can’t.
As a young girl, MacRae signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that prohibits her from discussing sexual abuse she suffered, even with family members or therapists.
Continue reading Greens Take Lead to Stop NDAs from Silencing Victims
As Currents recently reported, homelessness is not just “an American thing,” or “a big-city thing,” or even “a Vancouver Island thing.” Homelessness is also here on Cortes, where a recent survey found that about 50 people rated their housing situation as “unstable,” and 11 were living rough (with no permanent shelter, in tents or other makeshift accommodation).
Although “housing” might sound like a single issue, it has has knock-on effects throughout our community.
Continue reading A New Approach to Homelessness: Housing First
