Women on the Street in the Blind Spot1)
In February, the public broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) aired a current affairs program called "Women on the Street," which highlighted the lives of homeless women and the challenges they face, drawing attention to their human rights issues. Homeless women face many challenges, including violence and extortion. They are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault. According to the "2021 Survey on Homelessness, etc." released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in April 2022, sexual assaults among the homeless occurred exclusively with women, with 52.4% of victims being victimized on the streets, and 16.7% in living facilities for the homeless. This means that women experiencing homelessness are exposed to sexual assault without a safe space, and the fact that even in seemingly safe places they are not doing a good job of protecting them. A volunteer who has been helping the homeless near Seoul Station for about 30 years said, "Most social welfare facilities are mixed-sex facilities where men and women live in the same space. There are only a handful of facilities for homeless women." In other words, women who are not separated from men and are constantly threatened with sexual assault in shelter are interpreted as falling through the cracks of the welfare system. It seems necessary to look at the issue of female homelessness from a gender perspective and to develop policies that are specific to women.
To address the welfare blind spots of homeless women, a support program is being implemented by the government. On March 27, 2023, the MOHW launched the "Fostering a Dedicated Agency for Women Street Homeless in 2023" project. In cooperation with private homeless shelters, the project developed counseling and specialized case management manuals that take into account the safety needs and mental illnesses of homeless women. And also conducted protection activities to establish an on-site protection system specialized for women. It aimed to provide systematic and professional support to homeless women who were not actively seeking help due to male-centered support policies. However, this year, the government cut the budget for female homelessness support entirely, saying that local governments should manage it. As a result, centers with dedicated female staff have been forced to rely on local government budgets, resulting in a halt to all activities at a time when they need to expand support. This situation seems to be an obstacle to the elimination of the welfare blind spots of homeless women and requires continued attention and support from the government.
1) Kim Hyun-woo, Kim Hye-sun, "[The Swamp of Women's Homelessness] No Women in the Homeless Welfare Act", Women's Economic Daily, May 31, 2023