NUMBER OF HOMELESS
*
YOUNG PEOPLE
550,000
PER YEAR
*
Homelessness lasting longer
than one week
380,000
are younger than 18
170,000
are ages 18-24
1
I
N
5
identify
as LGBTQ
1 IN 3 RUNAWAYS
have been forced
to perform a sexual
act against their will
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O
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Y
oung people who are homeless also are often sexually assaulted. You can help
by listening to youth who have been harmed by homelessness and sexual violence.
Your suppor t ca n make a positi ve difference in their lives over t ime.
RUNAWAY YOUTH
46% OF LGBTQ YOUTH
run away because of
family rejection of sexual
orientation or gender identity
12.4 TO 13.9 YEARS OLD
was the average age range
of first leaving home
Rates of major depression,
conduct disorder, and
post-traumatic stress
disorder are 3 TIMES HIGHER
among runaway youth
HOMELESS YOUTH
1
%
TO 3
%
of youth in the
general population
21
%
TO 42
%
of homeless
youth
PERCENTAGE REPORTING SEXUAL ABUSE
1 IN 3 TEENS ON THE STREET
WILL BE LURED INTO
PROSTITUTION
WITHIN
48
HOURS
OF
LEAVING
HOME
MORE THAN 1 IN 3
HOMELESS YOUTH ENGAGE
IN SURVIVAL SEX. OF THEM:
82% trade sex for money
48% trade sex for food
or a place to stay
22% trade sex for drugs
LGBTQ YOUTH ARE
3X MORE LIKELY
TO HAVE ENGAGED
IN SURIVAL SEX
32
%
of homeless youth
have attempted suicide
See next page for citations. Infographic by Mallory Gricoskie.
©National Sexual Violence Resource Center 2014. All rights reserved.
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ABOUT THIS INFOGRAPHIC
This infographic is a companion piece to Linking the Roads: Working with Youth Who
Experience Homelessness and Sexual Violence. It uses the term “homeless youth” to include
ages 12-24. Identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity andcultural values can affect how
youth react to the traumas they experience from sexual violence and homelessness. All other
terminology is taken from the references below. To access a copy of the guide, go to
www.nsvrc.org/publications or use the QR code at right.
Scan with a
QR Reader
REFERENCES
NUMBER OF HOMELESS YOUNG PEOPLE
The National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2014). Yo ut h.
Retrieved from http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/youth
The National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2014).
LGBTQ youth. Retrieved from http://www.endhomelessness.
org/pages/lgbtq-youth
RUNAWAY YOUTH
The Administration on Children, Youth and Families. (2002).
Sexual abuse among homeless adolescents: Prevalence,
correlates, and sequelae. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.
gov/sites/default/files/opre/sex_abuse_hmless.pdf
Durso, L. E., & Gates, G. J. (2012). Serving our youth:
Findings from a national survey of service providers working
with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth who
are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Retrieved
from The Williams Institute: http://williamsinstitute.law.
ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Durso-Gates-LGBT-Homeless-
Youth-Survey-July-2012.pdf
National Network for Youth. (n.d.). Consequences
of youth homelessness. Retrieved from
http://www.nn4youth.org/system/files/IssueBrief_Youth_
Homelessness.pdf
HOMELESS YOUTH
The Administration on Children, Youth and Families. (2002).
Sexual abuse among homeless adolescents: Prevalence,
correlates, and sequelae. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.
gov/sites/default/files/opre/sex_abuse_hmless.pdf
National Network for Youth. (n.d.). Consequences
of youth homelessness. Retrieved from
http://www.nn4youth.org/system/files/IssueBrief_Youth_
Homelessness.pdf
Cray, A., Miller, K., & Durso, L. E. (2013). Seeking shelter:
The experiences and unmet needs of LGBT homeless youth.
Retrieved from the Center for American Progress:
http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/up-
loads/2013/09/LGBTHomelessYouth.pdf
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