Homelessness, Discrimination, and Violent Victimization in Los Angeles County

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are highly vulnerable to discrimination and violence, which impact physical and mental health. The study examines past-month discrimination and violence against PEH in Los Angeles County (LAC). METHODS: A total of 332 PEH in LAC were surveyed about their past-month experiences with discrimination, physical violence, and sexual violence from April-July 2023. Analyses were conducted in 2023. RESULTS: 31.8% of respondents reported experiencing discrimination daily and 53.9% reported it weekly, whereas rates of lifetime discrimination in studies of general populations of minoritized groups range between 13-60%. Nearly half of respondents who reported experiencing discrimination (49.6%) believed that their housing situation was the reason they were targeted. Victimization was also common, with 16.0% of participants experiencing physical violence and 7.5% experiencing sexual violence in the past 30 days. These rates of past-month victimization are high when compared to past-year physical violence (3.0%) and sexual violence (0.24%) among general populations in major U.S. cities. In multivariate regression analyses, discrimination was associated with being unsheltered in a vehicle (p<0.05) or outdoors (p<0.001), weekly illicit drug use (p<0.01), and psychological distress (p<0.001); violent victimization was associated with being sheltered (p<0.05) or unsheltered outdoors (p<0.001), physical health conditions (p<0.05), and psychological distress (p<0.01); and sexual victimization was associated with non-male gender (p<0.05) and being unsheltered outdoors (p<0.05). Discrimination and victimization outcomes were not associated with any race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or time homeless characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings highlight the dangers of homelessness in the U.S., particularly for those who are unsheltered outdoors.

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