SAN DIEGO — Father Joe’s Villages recently opened a new housing villa, on Friday they opened their doors to give people an inside look.
One of the people there to tour the new facility was Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins. Atkins says her visit was in honor of Women’s History Month and it was aimed to support women in California suffering homelessness as well as shedding light on the reality of homelessness amongst women.
According to Father Joe’s Villages, “though 39% of people experiencing homelessness in San Diego are women, women disproportionately face violence, inequality and stigma while living on the streets. 92% of homeless mothers have experienced severe physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lives. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 20% of survivors became homeless because of sexual or domestic violence."
Atkins sat down with women experiencing homelessness to talk to them about their experiences. According to Atkins and Father Joe’s Villages, “Conversations like this shed light on the reality of homelessness for women and help uncover ways in which our community can support women facing homelessness.”
Father Joe’s Villages says resources they offer such as housing, healthcare, vocational training, and child care can help ensure that women have a safe place to heal and take their first steps towards stability and independence.
WATCH RELATED: Youth homelessness is a growing problem in San Diego County (Nov. 2021)