Homeless (0)

Social Problems

Homelessness

A person and families are considered homeless , if they live outdoors without shelter (кров), temporarily housed in hostels, night shelters, institutions such as psychiatric hospitals, and those temporarily (временно) accommodated (пристраивать) by relatives or friends .
Persons living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless, and demographic groups who are more likely to experience poverty are also more likely to experience homelessness. Homelessness usually increases during periods of economic recession (спад) and rising unemployment , when people can no longer afford(быть в состоянии ) housing , and governments cut down public housing expenses.
Inadequate shelter or housing creates conditions that promote disease . Without decent (приличный) protection , many of the poor are exposed(подвергаться) to severe(суровый) and dangerous weather as well as to bacteria and viruses carried by other people and animals . They also are more likely to become infected with diseases carried by insects or rodents (грызун). In arid(засушливый) regions , drought leaves the poor without clean water for drinking or bathing. In temperate climates, including in the major cities of developed countries many of the homeless poor are harmed by or die of exposure (подвергаться)to extreme winter cold.
Inadequate shelter almost always accompanies inadequate sanitation and unhygienic practices. Because the poor in developing nations commonly have no running water or sewage(нечистыоты) facilities , human excrement and garbage accumulate, quickly becoming a breeding ground for disease. In cities, especially in ghettoes(трущобы) and shantytowns that house only poor people, overcrowding can lead to high transmission rates of airborne diseases, such as tuberculosis. In particular , the incidence (сфера действия) of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) among poor people is higher than average.
In developed countries tramps(бродяга), hobos(-), dossiers(больн), down-and- outs , as they are called, can be found sleeping in derelict(заброшен.) houses or on park benches. (скамейка) If they are a nuisance(предостав неудобство) to passers-by, police usually tell them to move on.
How and why do people become down-and outs in welfare(благополуч) countries? There `s no easy answer to this problem. Some have consciously rejected (отвергнут )society, others feel that society has rejected them. Still others prefer the life of a tramp. It may be difficult but they are free –no boss telling them what to do, no family to restrict (ограничить) them.
Homelessness can be caused by war, fire , flood, or similar emergency, violence in the home, divorce, unemployment, or a shortage (недостаток) of low- cost housing. Homeless people tend to be single, middle - aged, unemployed , and lacking in qualifications. Many have a history of violence in the home, and many suffer from psychological disorders , alcoholism, and drug abuse. Homelessness creates a sense of failure(неудача) and results in isolation, loss of self- esteem (самоуважение), and loss of control over the most basic decisions and acts of everyday life such as when and what to eat, and where and when to wash. The number of homeless has been growing in recent years, especially among the young.
Many young people come to big cities in search of more exciting life. Because cheap accommodation is scarce(недостат), they can found themselves on the streets, living the life of a tramps. This unhappy experience can make them reject society and its values . As they wander the streets, dirty, without jobs, people who are working react angrily, calling them lazy good -for- nothings.
When a woman leaves an abusive relationship, she often has nowhere to go. This is particularly true of women with few resources. Lack of affordable housing and long waiting lists for assisted housing mean that many women and their children are forced to choose between abuse(ругательство) at home or the streets.
Whether a person is young or old, a permanently homeless state is the result of a chain of unfortunate events, but often it`s the result of an addiction to alcohol or drugs. Such addictions may well have developed since they began to lead a tramp ‘s existence.